Philippines
Continuing education during COVID-19
"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world," - Nelson Mandela
With the rampant increase in cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines at the time of this article, the local Department of Education had resorted to distance learning options such as online learning and modular learning for the upcoming school year. However, as most public schools and students cannot adapt technologically, they turn to modular learning. Learning kits and modules were therefore needed to be printed and reproduced for these students.
In line with this approach and in keeping with the theme of providing children with access to learning resources for development, Aspen Philippines (APH) donated more than 150,000 sheets of bond papers to seven public schools in support of Mandela Day. APH helped with the production of the students’ modules and learning kits, an act of kindness envisioned to impact students from poor families for months, or hopefully, for life.
On 14 July the first leg of APH’s Mandela Day donation was conducted at Domingo Zuno Elementary School in Pade Garcia, Batangas where 244 students are enrolled. The following day, six schools in Bulacan received their share of bond papers which will benefit 953 students.
APH, school heads, and school representatives all worked side by side to prepare the learning kits for the schools -- from early morning travels, to riding tricycles, to getting aboard boats to reach the islands where the schools are located. All these efforts were made to enable students who lack WIFI and electontronic devices to continue with their education under circumstances presented by the new normal.
