Free preschool for children Philippines (AFP)

Manila (AFP) - Millions of Filipino children are offered maternal crash lessons free of charge to help prepare for school, the Ministry of education, said Friday.

The Government has developed the program for seven weeks after having observed that many students crossed the first three years of the primary grade school without learning to read, Ministry spokesman Kenneth Tirado told AFP.

Another problem is high drop-out rate, with six percent of Filipino children, do not complete primary school, said Tirado.

He said there were more than two million children aged five and six are preparing for the start of the school year in June, and each of them had been strongly encouraged to participate in the program from kindergarten.

He said that classes, which began this month, were detained without charge in all public schools.

While Tirado said he could not give figures on the number of children had taken the offer, he said that about half a million took part in the inaugural program last year.

Minister of education Armin Luistro said in a press release that the kindergarten program was an important basis for the careers of the school for children.

"When young children are better prepared on modes of school life, they develop a positive attitude in schooling." Thus, they value in learning more, strive to Excel and are more likely to complete basic education, "Luistro told."

In the long term President Benigno Aquino Government also promised to get Parliament to pass legislation that, by 2016, would extend stay of students in high school at six years for four years, according to Tirado.

Compulsory schooling, beginning at the age of six years, is now 10 years and the extension would take 12 years.

"We will add two years to high school to expand learning time and to stretch their skills development." As it happens, the curriculum is congested too and their lack of ample preparation of College and work, "he says.

"It would improve not only our competitiveness world but works also for their personal benefit.".

Tirado acknowledged there was opposition to extension high school, mainly because it would cost parents more.

One in four families in the Philippines live on a dollar a day or less, according to a survey by the Government of 2009.