Iloilo city: The city government is preparing to launch a new education program aimed at improving literacy from preschool through postgraduate levels, amid concerns over children's growing use of gadgets.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Edu-Go Program, a local adaptation of an initiative of the Congressional Education Commission, will be launched on September 16 with a training program for early childhood care and development (ECCD) teachers, City Mayor Raisa Tre±as' spokesperson Joy Gorzal said Friday. "It seeks to improve literacy from preschool to postgraduate," Gorzal added.

The program aims to unite various education sectors, establish referral mechanisms, and develop a dashboard to monitor the city's education performance. Additionally, the city government plans to create a manual to guide the program's implementation. Gorzal mentioned that the initial initiative would focus on continuing education for ECCD teachers handling both regular and special education students.

An integral component of the Edu-Go Program will be to strengthen Iloilo City's reading campaign by making reading materials more accessible through indoor and outdoor libraries. "Our dream is to encourage the next generation of readers. We have open spaces and plazas and district libraries," Tre±as said in a video message, acknowledging the challenge of promoting reading among children increasingly drawn to gadgets.

Currently, Iloilo City boasts two operational district libraries, eight barangay reading centers, four outdoor libraries in city plazas, and one market-based library. In addition to public library programs, daycare workers have been instructed to set aside reading time for children to help develop their interest in reading at an early age.