Australia & Philippines Team Up on $12M Education Boost

The Department of Education of the Philippines and the Australian government launched the Education Quality for Inclusive Prosperity (EQUIP) program in Manila on Tuesday. Australia will fund the initiative with AUD40 million (approximately P1.6 billion) over five years, beginning in 2025, with the potential for an additional AUD20 million investment.

The EQUIP program intends to strengthen senior high school education by improving work immersion opportunities through partnerships with Australian institutions like Melbourne Polytechnic and The Gordon Institute. It will also focus on literacy and numeracy interventions for students who are struggling, and teacher training.

Five Metro Manila schools. Mariano Marcos Memorial High School, Lagro High School, Batasan Hills National High School, Dalandanan National High School, and Don Arcadio Santos National High School, will pilot the program in its first year. The initiative aims to better align education with the needs of key industries including construction, healthcare, and information technology.