Smart Mentors program empowers public school teachers

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART), in partnership with Learn.ph Foundation, recently conducted a face-to-face consultation between its Luzon-based teacher-scholars and their advisors under the Smart Mentors program. After the consultation, the teachers also attended a mentoring workshop conducted by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

Smart Mentors is a specialized training and development program offered to select teachers from public schools adopted under the Smart Schools Program (SSP), SMART’s flagship community service initiative that aims to uplift the standard of public education in the country through the effective integration of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in the classroom.

SMART has partnered with the University of Makati (UMak), which grants the teacher-scholars a Master of Arts degree in Education, Major in Instructional Media and Design after they have successfully undergone the 11-month course.

Those who passed the screening process this year include six teachers from Mindanao, six from Visayas, four from South Luzon and nine from North Luzon. Now on its second-year run, Smart Mentors is implemented through the PBSP and supported by the Department of Education. 

Shown with the teacher-scholars are (first, third, fourth and fifth from left) SMART Public Affairs Community Partnerships manager Steph Orlino, Philippine Normal University MIS director Dr. Alice Dioquino, Coalition for Better Education president and Naga City School Division Superintendent Dr. Caridad Labe and PBSP senior program officer Riza Horcasitas.