THE British Council is set to roll out English and Digital Literacy Skills training for girls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm), gathering key stakeholders during the English and Digital for Girls’ Education (Edge) conference in Davao City.
Lotus Postrado, country director of the British Council Philippines, told the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that the initiative builds on recent studies and roundtable discussions under the Edge program.
A 2024 scoping study conducted in Barangay Kauran and Barangay Kuya revealed persistent barriers for girls, including limited leadership opportunities, cultural restrictions, and gaps in digital literacy.
The study highlighted that while adolescent girls often use mobile phones for communication and entertainment, many lack the skills to harness technology for academic purposes. Challenges such as financial constraints, long school distances, unreliable internet, power outages, and household responsibilities further reduce motivation to pursue education.
Postrado explained that the Edge program seeks to close these gaps by equipping adolescent girls, particularly those from marginalized communities, with the tools to make informed and independent choices.
“It’s a program about improving competencies of disadvantaged groups, particularly girls, in improving their capacity to use English and Digital literacy,” Postrado said.
“So now, we’re in the process of really taking it to different localities to convey the message of the importance of providing digital literacy and English for girls’ education,” she added.
She added that Edge has been successfully implemented in countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, and is now being contextualized for Barmm.
“The idea is to provide interventions to students outside formal schooling, especially girls. Edge is our way of empowering them through literacy and English language skills,” Postrado noted.
The program targets girls aged 13 to 19 who are out of school or come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Stakeholder engagement will be central to its rollout, with the British Council working closely with local government units, schools, community organizations, and civil society groups to ensure sustainability.
Postrado said that initiative is not only about teaching skills but about amplifying the voices of young women who are often left unheard. Through this program, adolescent girls in Barmm will be given the chance to share their stories, build their confidence, and become active agents of change in their communities. PIA DAVAO