Smart partners with UC to improve learning among Baguio school children

MANILA, Philippines - Leading wireless services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) formalized its partnership with University of the Cordilleras (UC) which commits to continue the implementation of the telco’s community-based education initiative CommuniTeach in Baguio City.

CommuniTeach aims to improve learning among the lowest performing public elementary school students through the active participation of the parents and the community in the mentoring of their children. In partnership with UC, Smart has been nurturing 40 Baguio kids from Springhills Elementary School (SES) since October 2011.

In ceremonies held at UC campus in Baguio City, officials from Smart, UC, the Department of Education-Baguio City Schools Division and the SES Parent-Teachers Association discussed how the program has been helping the Baguio kids in its short span of implementation.

“We’ve seen improvements in the children due to the training programs,” said Dr. Onie Aguinalde, director of PROJECT Health Education Livelihood Environment and Nurturance (HELEN), the corporate-social responsibility (CSR) arm of UC. “Aside from improvements in academics, the students are also more well-behaved and attentive in class.”

CommuniTeach uses customized learning modules developed by Silid Aralan, Inc. (SAI) a Montalban, Rizal-based group that has successfully implemented the community mentoring model for the past 3 years. The learning technology utilizes programs such as Ground Zero (values education), Buklat Aklat (book discovery and appreciation of local literature) and AGIMath (math appreciation).

In addition, once-a-week, two-hour remedial classes are facilitated by education majors of UC every Saturday for the entire school year in a customized CommuniTeach classroom that encourages interaction among the children. At the end of every class is a feeding program assisted by the student’s parents, who take turns every week in preparing food for the beneficiaries.

UC president Ricardo Pama said, “I am very grateful for the partnership because I know it will benefit the lives of students from Springhills ES.”

“What we want to achieve is to build the confidence of students to love learning.” said Smart Public Affairs Manager for Community Partnerships Stephanie Orlino. “But we nor the school cannot do it alone. The entire community should be involved. CommuniTeach is one example that we can all work together to help improve the country’s education system.”