The Gokongwei Group's philanthropic division has collaborated with Khan Academy Philippines, the nonprofit educational organization's local counterpart, to enhance the education sector in the Philippines. Through investment support and strategic collaboration, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) aims to help Khan Academy Philippines achieve its goal of reaching one million learners by 2026.
“Our partnership with GBF is both a thought partnership because they have been in the education space for 30 years, as well as investment support”, Khan Academy Philippines Chief Executive Officer Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine said during the partnership’s launch event in Pasig City. “They provided a very important investment for us to get started. Going forward, we will need a lot of partners because the education crisis is huge. We’re really calling on other non-governmental organizations to support us, like in the telecommunications and gadget space”, she added.
Established in 2008 by financial analyst Sal Khan, Khan Academy operates a global educational technology platform. Khan Academy Philippines, the inaugural international franchisee, focuses on adapting the platform's content to align with the Philippines' Department of Education (DepEd) curriculum. In the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, Khan Academy Philippines plans to extend its reach to additional schools nationwide, introducing more elementary Math courses in line with DepEd standards.
It also aims to introduce its artificial intelligence-powered teaching assistant, Khanmigo, and propose teacher certification courses for approval by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines. “GBF in its 30 years of service, has had significant strides in improving access to quality education for both learners and educations. We see Khan Academy as an integral part of our plan to reach more learners to provide free quality education for all”, GBF Managing Director Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng said.
In August of the previous year, Khan Academy Philippines was introduced in 34 schools—30 public and four private—spanning Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Makati, Pasig, Pasay, Las Piñas, and Dumaguete City. The pilot launch for the 2023-2024 school year involved 71 Math teachers, 3,250 students, and 600 parents. It commenced with training Math teachers in utilizing Khan Academy's platform as a teaching tool, focusing on strategies such as growth mindset, mastery learning, and monitoring student progress.
The participating schools implemented diverse methods, including incorporating designated "Khan Academy time" into their schedules, allocating dedicated Wi-Fi access for the platform, and ensuring each student had access to a device for an enhanced learning experience. Additionally, parents received orientation and were actively involved to support their children's utilization of the platform. “Our expansion plans are hinged on partnerships with schools and companies like the Gokongwei Group and the GBF who share our vision of a better future through education”, Ms. Acuña-Sunshine said.
