3 elementary schools avail P250T worth of computer units
As part of their KidSmart Early Learning Program, IBM Philippines recently turned-over three units of young explorer unit and IBM personal computers to three elementary schools. Two of which are from the island-province of Guimaras and once from Iloilo City.
The computer units worth P250,000 were donated to Baluarte Elementary School in Iloilo City and Guiwanon Elementary School and Alegria Elementary School in the town of Nueva Valencia. The three elementary schools were chosen by the IBM Philippines as recipients of their KidSmart early learning program. The project is also in partnership with Mirant Philippines Foundation Inc.
This is the fourth time that Iloilo City has availed of the computer unit. The first schools that became recipients of the KidSmart early learning program are the Iloilo Science Centrum, Ingore and Ticud Elementary Schools.
The IBM KidSmart Early Learning Program package includes an IBM multimedia PC housed in a colorful and child-friendly Little Tikes furniture together with an award-winning course ware developed by Edmark which contains a wealth of resources and activities in the areas of math, science, reading and language.
IBM Philippines also partnered with EduQuest Inc. The EduQuest designed a program dubbed as Teacher Training Program for Early Childhood Educators. The program will provide the training of the teachers of the recipient schools towards technology and enhanced early grades education by enabling them to effectively set up and manage a technology-integrated environment.
The training course is composed of three modules. Module 1 is Fundamentals of Knowledge Media in Teaching and Learning, Module 2 is Theory of Multiple Intelligence and Its Application in the Classroom and Module 3 is the Center-Based Learning Approach.
IBM Philippines President/General Manager James Velasquez said the KidSmart Early Learning Program is part of the company's Corporate Community Relations (CCR) in the Philippines.
The KidSmart learning Program was launched five years ago. A total of 120 KidSmart equipment had been donated all over the country. The beneficiaries are from Batanes and as far as Tawi-tawi.
Velasquez said the company wants to help in giving quality education to children.
Meanwhile, Mary Anne Gonzalez-Bautista, assistant general manager of EduQuest Inc., said they are also conducting rounds to check on whether the recipient schools are indeed using the computers. "We are even happy to hear reports that the computer unit was destroyed because of the many hands that used it than to hear reports that the computer was destroyed because a rat ate the wires," she said.