PJ’s “school labs” launched

CEBU, Philippines — Expressing concerns over the global academic ranking of the country, Cebu Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia recently launched his project “Ang mga Eskwelahan Labs ni PJ”.

Garcia said he hopes to inspire change in the way our Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) students and teachers experience the wonders of science and technology, as around 4,500 of 13,000 high schools in the country, have no access to functional science laboratories.

In his speech during a science and technology summit, Garcia thanked private organizations like Grab Philippines and Concentrix for their support in this transformative program.

As reported in Sugbo News, the official Facebook page of the provincial government, he also pledged to extend the benefits of this initiative by equipping all 63 public high schools of his district with Versatile Instrumentation System for Science Education and Research (VISSER) kits.

VISSER is a research-grade laboratory system developed by researchers from the University of the Philippines, is set to enhance the learning experience of students by providing advanced tools for science education. The handheld devices come with sensors, data storage, control, interface, and analysis tools and are operable without a computer as they are power banks.

Grab Philippines contributed two VISSER kits, while Concentrix initially donated 30 secondhand for selected public high schools in the district.

Grab Philippines Public Affairs head Sherielysse Bonifacio said they will partner in any of these fields of study as part of its contribution to improve the learning environment in the province.

“Our students have what it takes to excel in any field or area of study, but we recognize that they may need additional resources to help them develop their abilities to the fullest, and we believe this initiative by Cong. PJ can really help in that regard,” Bonifacio said.

The summit also featured live demonstration of VISSER and discussions on advancing science and technology education, and an exhibit of award-winning science research projects curated by high school and senior high school students. — (FREEMAN)