Thousands of students in public schools under the Department of Education (DepEd) received assistance to help them adapt to blended learning and prepare them for the gradual resumption of in-person classes amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
For the benefit of over 90,000 students from 60 public schools across seven regions nationwide, DepEd received printers, ink, and bond paper turned over by the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) through its social development arm, the BPI Foundation.
The donation is part of the “Bagong Taon, Bagong Pag-asa” project which aims to ease the challenges faced by public schools, educators, and students as they adapt to a blended learning model and prepare for the return of face-to-face classes amid the ongoing pandemic.
Each identified public school will receive two printers, bottles of ink with 5,000 yields, and 100 reams of bond paper.
DepEd Undersecretary Tonisito Umali emphasized the importance of these donations in ensuring the students’ continued education.
“Mula sa paggawa ng lesson plan, pag-imprenta ng modules at activity sheets na sasagutin, pati pagbibigay ng feedback, kailangan ng mga papel at gadgets para maipalimbag ang lahat ng ito (From making a lesson plan, to printing modules and activity sheets, as well as for giving feedback, paper and gadgets are needed to print all of it),” Umali said.
Meanwhile, Kathrene David, one of the principals from Tangle Elementary School in Pampanga, expressed her gratitude for the support they received in these trying times.
“Bayanihan spirit is still alive. This is what we realize because indeed it was proven that we are never alone in our goals to provide quality education to our learners amid this situation,” she said.
David added that these donations “will surely be of great help for us to deliver quality education to our learners.”
BPI Foundation Executive Director Owen Cammayo stressed that essential to every recovery is the mutual support and cooperation between the government and the private sector.
“We need more changemakers, especially during these challenging times and education is a key enabler for change and nation-building,” he said.
“We are delighted to support DepEd’s Brigada Eskwela program whose slogan – Bayanihan para sa Paaralan – is well aligned with our own advocacy for the Bayanihan culture,” Cammayo added.