UNICEF turns over 50 ‘school-in-a-bag’ packages to schools in Samar, Northern Samar

From left: SEAMEO INNOTECH Educational Research and Innovation Office manager Philip Purnell; UNICEF Philippines Chief of Education Isy Faingold; DepEd Bureau of Learning Delivery Director IV Leila Areola; DepEd - Division of Samar Schools Division Superintendent Mariza Magan; DepEd - Division of Northern Samar Schools Division Superintendent Carmela Tamayo; DepEd - Region VIII Chief of Curriculum and Learning Management Division Alejandrito Yman; and Smart Communications Public Affairs Group head Ramon Isberto. Photo: UNICEF

UNICEF on Saturday gave out 50 portable and digital classroom learning packages to schools in Samar and Northern Samar with the goal of improving student learning in the region.

According to the UN's children's agency in a statement, each “school-in-a-bag” package consists of a projector, one teacher laptop and tablet in one, five student tablets, a DVD player, a USB memory drive, and a pocket WiFi with starter load.

UNICEF partnered with the Department of Education, telecommunications giant PLDT-Smart, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO-Innotech) for the project.

The agency estimates that the 50 packages it distributed will benefit 2,500 disadvantaged schoolchildren in multigrade classes.

According to UNICEF, multigrade classes bring children on different developmental levels together in one classroom under the guidance of one teacher. In Region 8, the agency is working with the DepEd to strengthen this system with the aim of providing better access to quality education to students, especially children from poor, isolated and conflict-affected areas.

As the technology partner for the project, PLDT-Smart developed a learning app in the Waray and Ibakon languages, and packaged customized e-learning resources—which were based on feedback from multigrade teachers and implementers—for tablets and laptops.

“Today’s turnover of school-in-a-bag packages aims to bring 21st century learning to all children, particularly for learners from isolated and indigenous poor communities. This is part of our long-standing commitment that every Filipino child realizes their right to quality education,” UNICEF Representative a.i. Julia Rees said in the agency's statement.

She added that UNICEF is looking forward to replicating the project in other parts of the country.

Samar and Northern Samar are among UNICEF’s geographical priority areas, which also include Western Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, and the five provinces in the Bangsamoro region (BARMM): Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. — BM, GMA News