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SMART partners with four Cavite schools to promote ICT
Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) is supporting computer education in four elementary schools in Dasmariñas, Cavite, bringing to 270 its total number of partners under the Smart Schools Program (SSP).
Dubbed as the "university town" of Cavite, Dasmariñas has the most number of universities and colleges in the province. It is also the biggest municipality in the Philippines in terms of population. In District I alone there are 22,500 elementary students enrolled in 15 schools.
(from left) Celestia Tapia of Humayao Elementary School (ES), Dr. Jessie Layugan of Dasmarinas ES, Dr. Rosalinda Barzaga of Francisco E. Barzaga Memorial School and Susan Hayag of Ramon Tirona Memorial School display the markers of their SMART Teachers’ Learning Resource Center in a simple ceremony marking the schools’ entry into the Smart Schools Program. With them are (from left) Congressional NHS Principal Emmanuel Resurreccion, Dasmarinas City District ICT coordinator Michael De Guzman, Dasmarinas City Councilor Raul Rex Mangubat, SMART Community Partnerships Manager Stephanie V. Orlino, Dasmarinas 1 District Supervisor Dr. Editha Gonzales, PBSP Senior Program Officer Riza Horcasitas and Education Supervisor I – ICT Dr. Elias Alicaya, Jr.
"It's an honor for Dasmariñas that big companies are here to help," said Rex Manggubat, Sanggunian Bayan Member, Education Committee. "President Arroyo has already signed the cityhood of Dasmariñas and we're scheduled to have our plebiscite. Real property taxes will be retained once we become a city so we'll have better education support and funding. But we're very grateful for the help of companies like SMART--'di pa kami nakakaumpisa, inumpisahan niyo na."
SMART donated an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) learning resource package to the following schools in District 1 of Dasmariñas – Dasmariñas Elementary School, Francisco E. Barzaga Memorial School, Humayao Elementary School and Ramona S. Tirona Memorial School. The package includes two computers, two web cameras, a scanner and a printer. SMART is also providing Internet connectivity for one year via Smart Bro.
All four SSP schools were recommended as recipients by Congressional National High School, a long-time SSP partner, which was also named as the best ICT high school implementor in Region IVA by DepEd.
"SMART's support is timely and relevant to enhance the curriculum," said District Supervisor Edita P. Gonzales during the turnover ceremony held at the Dasmariñas Elementary School.
ICT implementation in the area is just on its second year. Gonzales said that in 2004, only two elementary schools in the district had the facilities for computer education classes.
This year, through a budget from the Local School Board Fund, 46 computers and 15 printers were distributed among the 15 schools.
"We want a 100% computer literacy rate for our pupils, especially in Grade 6, so they already have the necessary skills before going to high school," said Gonzales.
"We're happy to be given the chance by SMART to enhance and strengthen ICT education," added Michael De Guzman, District ICT Key Administrator and President of the Association of Cavite Computer Elementary School Administrators (ACCESA). "We believe not just in ICT as a subject. It should also be integrated across other learning areas, making teaching and learning more effective, and providing easy access to information for pupils."
Teachers and administrators of all four partner schools are scheduled to attend SSP training sessions on topics like ICT integration in the classroom, basic troubleshooting and maintenance, and web page and online content development.
SSP is a community service initiative of SMART to uplift the quality and standard of education in public schools. Started in 2004, the program is part of SMART’s education initiatives under Kabalikat, its corporate social responsibility and community service program.
(Published 21 December 2009, Smart Communications Inc.)
