Bontoc, Mountain Province – Digital Rise: Project TransformED 2.0. Going beyond boundaries!
The presscon of the School’s Division of Mountain Province conducted a program last Monday after the flag raising of the provincial employees highlighted the awarding of Best national and regional Brigada Eskuela Implementing Schools.
National awardees were the Eastern Barlig National and Vocational High School (EBNAVHS) and the Lubon National High School (Lubon NHS). The regional awardee finalists were the Mountain Province General Comprehensive High School (MPGCHS) for secondary and the Natonin Central School for elementary.
The best practices were also highlighted. EBNAVHS shared that the school prepared early to court the partnership between the school and the local government units, the communities, and the stakeholders. Early planning and implementation of the Brigada Eskuela enabled them to garner the national recognition.
On the other hand Lubon NHS, through Grace Bolinget, the school head, underscored the early resource generation it made involving the stakeholders and the early planning and implementation of the programs and projects of the school. Recognition of the efforts of the stakeholders was also cited as contributory to their success story.
Municipal LGUs were learned to have shared allocations under their Special Education Funds (SEF) for the schools which were acknowledged as a great help in the Brigada Eskuela.
Despite the challenges brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic, the other school awardees stressed the importance of the use of the media in the Brigada advocacy, knowing the schools’ visions and missions, and the strengths and opportunities such as the supportive alumni and stakeholders, local and abroad, are pluses to the efforts.
“Truly, education must continue amidst the pandemic with the help of the stakeholders”, commented one of the resource persons.
MEANWHILE, Schools Division Superintendent Sally Ullalim said that COVID 19 led the teachers to innovate towards embracing the digital technology amidst the transformation for digital classroom environment.
In a survey conducted in schools in 2020, most learners, if not all, were known not to have the gadgets for digital learning. The schools Division moved to ensure that hardware and software are available to most schools and learners.
Last year, 461 tablets from the regional office and 1,010 tablets from the Division office were distributed to various schools.
During the program, 420 tablets, provided from Special Education Fund (SEF) of the province, were distributed to schools which will in turn be given to learners in: Barlig – 18; Bauko 1 – 26 and Bauko 2 – 56; Besao – 25; Bontoc – 35; Natonin – 74; Paracelis – 20; Sabangan – 24; Sadanga – 28; Sagada – 21; and Tadian – 80 for both clusters 1 and 2.
SDS Ullalim stated that “the above listed school recipients of the tablets were judiciously evaluated and were found out to be qualified base on the requirements and qualifications set by the office”.
John Tay-og Pelew of Radyo Natin asked SDS Ullalim on any future plans as the said tablets are not commensurate with the 34, 505 enrollees. SDS Ullalim said that the plan is to have 1 gadget per 1 learner target. She is hopeful that it could be fulfilled in two to three year-time.
Provincial Administrator said that the distribution of tablets is a testament of the support of the provincial government to quality education of our learners in the province.
As to the vaccination of the learners, John Libongen, OIC Chief of the SGOO, revealed that of the 34,505 enrollees, only 14,500 were vaccinated leaving the rest not yet vaccinated. Accordingly, that the municipal local government units are working, in partnership with the school division, for the vaccination of all learners.
As to teachers, all teachers are and will be vaccinated by the end of the month. “Only 22 teachers are not yet vaccinated but they have scheduled themselves to be vaccinated by the end of the month”, he said.**Roger Sacyaten
