THE British Council and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Education ministry have partnered to roll out the English and Digital for Girls’ Education (EDGE) program, which targets adolescent girls aged 13 to 19.
Lotus Postrado, British Council country director for the Philippines, on Wednesday, said BARMM continues to face persistent education challenges for girls despite the region’s rich cultural heritage and vision for peace and development.
“Our EDGE roundtable engaged experts and champions to explore actionable pathways to effect meaningful change for these young girls,” she said.
A 2024 scoping study by the British Council and the National Teachers College identified structural barriers to girls’ education in BARMM, such as lack of school materials, limited job opportunities, inadequate financial aid, insufficient government support, and poor road access to remote schools.
The EDGE program seeks to address these gaps by helping adolescent girls, particularly from marginalized communities, build English proficiency, digital literacy, and life skills to make informed and independent choices.
For his part, Abdullah P. Salik, Jr., Director-General for Basic Education at BARMM’s Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), said the initiative complements the region’s broader education strategy.
He noted that the ministry has been working beyond classrooms, from technical-vocational training programs for women in Sulu to inclusive access policies under the Alternative Learning System.
“Empowerment is holistic, and education is its foundation,” Mr. Salik said. “Programs like EDGE, with its focus on English, digital literacy, and confidence for girls, are well-placed to advance our goals.”
According to the British Council, inputs from the Aug. 28 roundtable are expected to inform future education programs for girls in BARMM, to be implemented by the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education in partnership with local governments, national agencies, and partner organizations. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking