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Aklan's Linabuan National High School
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| Linabuan National High School students in their computer laboratory |
Linabuan National High School in Linabuan Norte, Kalibo, Aklan won the national award as “Community IT Center” School in the recently concluded Department of Trade and Industry Personal Computers for Public High Schools (PCPS) Best Practice Awards 2005. Awarding was held on 25 May 2005 at the Mabuhay Palace of Manila Hotel. The school received a cash prize of P10,000.00 courtesy of DTI, one computer set from Intel Philippines, pre-installed software from Microsoft Philippines and a robotic set from the Department of Science and Technology in addition to the P5,000.00 cash prize and a plaque it already received as regional winner. It bested 16 other regional finalists nationwide.
DTI Regional Director Dominic P. Abad said that the PCPS Best Practice Awards 2005 was launched to sustain the objectives of the PCPS project initiated by former DTI Secretary and now Senator MAR Roxas which are: to expand IT access in public schools, upgrade IT literacy of students and teachers, and help educate and develop the community through information technology. The awards also aim to model PCPS recipient schools which have adopted “best Practices” in the use and application of the DTI donated computers. It has four categories: Best Computer Laboratory, ‘IT-Based Learning' School, ‘Community IT Center' School, and Best PCPS School. He added that Linabuan's involvement in their community through the use of the DTI donated computers fits all the criteria of the contest like opening their computer laboratory for the use of the community for various purposes such as becoming an IT Learning Resource Center, Encoding Center, venue for IT Trainings and Seminars, and acting as a catalyst of development in the community through IT.
The school:
Linabuan National High School is located five (5) kilometers away from Kalibo. It shares the 8,000 square meters campus owned by the Linabuan Norte Elementary School. A feeder school of at least 15 neighboring barangays of the three adjoining municipalities, it has an average annual enrollment of 1,000 to 1,200 students and an average class size ranging from 70-75 students. Mrs. Merlyn S. Carillo is the school principal with 28 teacher compliments. Although it has no permanent administrative personnel, the office hires two clerks on a contractual basis, one of them assigned to assist the school's ICT program apart from her other duties.
The break:
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| The teachers of Linabuan National High School |
Linabuan National High School has been in a campaign to acquire modern facilities like computers for instructional and other educational purposes. The break came in when, in year 2000, Mrs. Richelda L. Cortes, former Principal of the school, attended the PASSA Conference were she met the top personnel of Microsoft Philippines. She made representations for the school and luckily availed of a grant of eight (8) computers complete with desk jet printer, a scanner, a web camera and a digital camera plus a compliment of two- year free internet subscription. These grants came with free training for two teachers on computers as instructional tools. In 2001, the school applied for and successfully met the requirements of the DTI's PCPS Phase 1 program. Thus, additional 20 computers complete with peripherals were acquired. This was the cherished dream and the greatest break the school has been waiting for: to be able to acquire computer facilities for its students and for the immediate community where it is located.
Partnership with the community:
With the help of the officers and members of the Parent, Teachers and Community Association (PTCA) and the Barangay Council through Barangay Captain Ananias V. Solina, one of the classrooms was converted into a computer laboratory housing the 20 computers donated by DTI and eight (8) from Microsoft, Philippines. In exchange, the school gave free computer services such as trouble shooting or even typing jobs when necessary, to the barangay, which has its own computer but sometimes does not function well. Former Governor and now Congressman Florencio T. Miraflores also gave P62,000.00 for the purchase of additional tables and chairs. Of the amount, additional printer was also purchased.
The school opened their services to the community through internet, typing and printing jobs at minimal fee to augment their operating expenses. They also provide summer classes for kids, teens and professionals who want to acquire computer skills for their own advancement. Their computer laboratory was also used as a venue for a journalism seminar, computer training for PCPS recipients and three In-Service trainings for teachers. Students from other schools also access their IT services by using internet in their research work. It also helped more than 60 teachers from their school and other schools avail of e-loan services from the Government Service and Insurance System (GSIS). In addition, designs of their computer tables were also adapted by other schools in their own computer laboratories. Mrs. Carillo believes that the developments of their ICT program in helping the students and their community are the reasons why students from other towns choose to study at the Linabuan National High School. They believe that the school offers computer education that only private schools can provide. Last 26 April, another 30-hour computer literacy training was offered by the school to interested students and professionals.
With a total of 2,096 public high schools nationwide receiving 30,920 computers from DTI's PCPS project phases 1 & 2, more success stories and more community services and involvement are expected from the beneficiaries. If Linabuan National High School was able to empower their students, teachers, and their community, other recipient schools can too. We bow our heads to the people of Linabuan National High School. Kudos to all of you.
