In war-torn Lanao del Sur town, teachers, students use two-way radios for distance learning

In Ragayan, Butig, Lanao del Sur, where access to electricity and television and cell phone signals are limited, teachers and students communicate with the help of two-way radios.

According to Raffy Tima’s “24 Oras” report Thursday, teachers and students of Ragayan Elementary School also had to make do with their damaged and bullet-riddled classrooms, a result of clashes between soldiers and terrorist groups.

Despite the challenges they faced, the teachers and students continued their distance learning by using two-way radios. 

With the help of the hand-held communication devices, the teachers gave lectures, while their students recited their answers and asked questions in real time.

The report said teachers had to closely supervise their students because parents couldn’t do so even if the students had their learning modules with them.

“Karamihan sa amin, walang pinag-aralan. Kaya sabi ko sa mga teacher ko, kailangan mag-gawa tayo ng paraan para tuloy-tuloy ang pagtuturo natin sa kanila,” said Namraida Bao, principal of Ragayan Elementary School.

Ragayan residents are no strangers to challenges. In 2016, their school was almost demolished by clashes, and many residents moved to Marawi City.

In the following year, however, Marawi itself was devastated by armed conflict, causing residents to return to Butig.

The children and their teachers also went back to their dilapidated classrooms, where they struggled, especially when it rained.

The International Committee of the Red Cross had a plan to build a new school in Ragayan in 2019, but it was derailed due to the pandemic.

When COVID-19 restrictions began to ease, ICRC built makeshift structures for the use of teachers with the help of residents. – RC, GMA News