The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on November 5, 2024, formalized a collaborative partnership aimed at driving data-driven reforms in the Philippine education sector.
UNFPA, an agency attached to the United Nations, provides an opportunity to explore the complex relationship between adolescent health and education for the Filipino youth.
The partnership focuses on findings from UNFPA’s Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (LCSFC), a 15-year research initiative launched in 2016. The study tracks the lives of Filipino children, monitoring them from age 10 until they reach 24, or in 2030.
The study is designed to collect data capturing significant milestones from childhood to young adulthood. The study also seeks to inform national policy making and program planning, particularly on how development goals are contributing to maximizing the potentials of the Filipino youth.
“EDCOM II’s mandate, network and expertise will help us ensure [that the LCSFC] findings will be translated into impactful policy recommendations, particularly in the area of education—a critical factor in shaping positive youth outcomes,” said Dr. Leila Saiji Joudane, UNFPA Philippines’ Country Representative. Joudane emphasized that addressing issues that affect education, such as what the UNFPA Philippines’ longitudinal research covers, can help policy-makers to implement solutions that will enable adolescents to stay in school and have quality education.
EDCOM 2 looks forward to utilizing the data from the landmark LCSFC to further inform its policy recommendations, especially given the rich opportunities for data. “This is a humongous contribution to the work we do for Philippine education”, said EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee.
“As we enter our final year, we are counting on this partnership, on this study to help inform our policy recommendations in reforming our education system. We need partners like you that will sustain data-driven initiatives even when EDCOM is done,” he added.
Also present at the signing was Dr. Moya Collett, Deputy Head of Mission from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who expressed strong support for the collaboration. “The Australian government has been supporting Philippine education for about 30 years now. I hope this Longitudinal Cohort Study will really help EDCOM 2 in pushing for data-driven policies, she said.EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee raised questions to further review these standards. “For instance, what are the needs of schools implementing special curricular programs, like science elementary and secondary schools, on top of the usual operating costs of public schools? What minimum service standards would support and foster learning as envisioned in recent curricular reforms?”, he said.
