Young children in Baras, Rizal will benefit from a new Rotary-backed initiative aimed at strengthening early childhood education, with Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) developing the country’s first training program to upskill child development workers.
The project, launched July 7, is called “Kayang Kaya Para sa Bata: Certificate Program for the Upskilling of Child Development Workers.” It is a six-month professional development course designed to address challenges in early childhood care and education by equipping child development workers with knowledge, skills, and certification.
The program is funded by Rotary Global Grant #2457741 through the Rotary Club of Makati Premier District (RCMPD), Rotary District 3830, Rotary Club of Cheonan Dongho and Rotary District 3620 in South Korea. Rotary global grants support large-scale projects carried out through international partnerships.
“This project addresses the early childhood development crisis in the Philippines, focusing on children ages 0-8 years old,” said RCMPD president Jose Luis “Bobet” Vera. “It highlights the vital role of child development workers through a six-month comprehensive training program that includes mentoring, coaching and multi-media training materials. We also provided 42 television sets—one for each Child Development Center in Baras—to support effective learning.”
KCFI developed the training videos and Portable Media Library units for the program. “KCFI has long been committed to supporting children in their most formative years through initiatives that integrate care and education,” said KCFI president and executive director Rina Lopez, who is also a Rotarian and past president of RCMPD.
The launch was attended by Lee Seung Bae, president of the Rotary Club of Cheonan Dongho, one of RCMPD’s sister clubs and a major project contributor.
“This partnership is a meaningful step toward improving early childhood care in Baras and beyond,” Lee said.
The Early Childhood Care and Development Council and the Municipality of Baras are the program’s beneficiaries. The initiative coincided with the signing of the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act (RA 12199), which seeks to raise the quality of and expand access to early childhood education nationwide.
