Mindanaotoday.com | Smart’s School-in-a-Bag brings hope to Basilan IP schools
PLDT and Smart’s School-in-a-Bag (SIAB) packages are finding their way to more schools implementing Indigenous Peoples Education and teaching Islamic Studies and Arabic Language. This has been made possible by the telcos’ partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through RTI International and Philippine Business for Social Progress.
Teachers from Caro Elementary School in the outskirts of Isabela City in Basilan are looking forward to using the SIAB.
Accessible only via habal-habal or motorcycle taxis, the school caters to Tausug and Yakan learners who walk for two to three hours to reach the school.
Many of them temporarily stop attending their classes to help their parents who are farmers and charcoal makers.
Not wanting their students to lag behind on their lessons, teachers often trek up the mountains to convince the students to return to school.
With the School-in-a-Bag, the teachers are hopeful that more learners will continue with their schooling.
“Parents are excited about the School-in-a-Bag. This will motivate them to send their children back to school. Now, we also have the digital tools for our summer program, to prepare learners for the next academic year,” said Caro ES School Head Fe Salisa.
Each SIAB contains learning equipment like tablets pre-loaded with educational content including USAID’s All Children Reading E-resource and mobile applications, like the Tahderriyah and Ta’allam, to help make learning more fun and effective. The package also has a laptop and connectivity devices for teachers.
“These tools will help us create more learning opportunities for our learners. We are so blessed and happy as this is our first time to receive digital content, tablets, and a laptop,” she added.
For Ettub-Ettub Elementary School Head Rosita Jahlun, the SIAB will help address their concerns on lack of educational materials and learner engagement.
She shared, “We are excited to use the video content and mobile applications to help engage our learners and help them understand the lessons more easily.”
The School-in-a-Bag program is part of the PLDT group’s advocacy to promote inclusive quality education, to help bridge the digital divide ensuring #NoLearnerLeftBehind.
PLDT and Smart recognize quality education as a foundation in attaining sustainable development.
It is committed to helping the Philippines achieve the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with SDG #4: Quality Education as a key area, with a strong emphasis on digital literacy. (PR)
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