Operation Big Brother brings hope to public school kids

Incoming high school senior Melvin Santiago, 16, is just one of over 10,000 public school students who dreams of going to college and getting a good job to help his family. His parents, both fish and vegetable vendors at a nearby public market, managed to send Melvin and his two brothers and three sisters to school with their meager earnings. But their chances of going to college will not become a reality if not for the commitment and joint efforts of Kraft Foods (Phils.) Inc. and De La Salle University under Operation Big Brother (OBB).

A group of business leaders banded together to support initiatives directed at improving the quality of public school education through the Operation Big Brother program. It is OBB’s objective to produce academically competitive and well-rounded individuals through its various program components as well as provide private school-quality education in selected public schools for the most qualified students.

The delivery of private school-quality education is premised on important features of the school’s learning environment. These include selective student admission based on extensive student data, selective employment of teachers with good academic background and positive work attitudes and values, deployment of an enriched curriculum, availability of adequate learning materials in the learning environment, as well as of supporting organizational and management systems.

OBB is a seven-year project that will implement a "Lasallian" high school education for selected groups of students in three high schools in the Division of Schools in Manila. The three schools are V. Mapa High School, Arellano High School, and G. Perfecto High School. All schools cater to students in the low to low-middle income brackets and have students in a wide range of ability levels. All schools also have relatively well-qualified pools of teachers.

Students will be selected through a screening process that includes assessments of cognitive ability, personality, attitudes and values. Students in the pilot sections will follow an enriched curriculum derived from the curriculum of Lasallian high schools. They will be given similar content, materials, learning activities, requirements, and evaluation as those used in Lasallian high schools, with a specific focus on the following subject areas: science, mathematics, English, social studies, and Filipino. They will be provided learning materials that approximate those available in Lasallian high schools (e.g., one textbook per student, complete school supplies, library materials, learning aids, etc.). The students will be required to maintain a minimum grade point average to stay in the program.

As the new school year approaches, OBB conducted career talks for students with Kraft employees spearheading the sessions. The employees provided the students an overview of college courses such as finance, IT, marketing, engineering and medicine. Melvin, who plans to take accounting in college, is looking forward to attending the sessions.

"The talks will further confirm my decision to pursue a career in banking. I’m very thankful for the support given to me and my fellow students under Big Brother," says Melvin.