In what could be a great example for the rest of the country, the Department of Science and Technology-Central Luzon (DOST-3) has provided solar-powered interactive multimedia teaching aids to some indigenous schools. The move aims to enhance the quality of the teaching-learning experience for both teachers and students even without internet connectivity or a conventional electric power supply.
Though these interactive multimedia teaching aids are internet-ready, needed data have been pre-stored in accordance with the student’s particular school level. DOST-3 has provided teaching aids to indigenous schools in two provinces of the region.
Since the teaching aids are solar-powered, they are especially suited in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas where electricity is absent.
– Julius Caesar Sicat, Regional Director, DOST-3
Said provision was made possible through DOST-3 Community Empowerment’s Science and Technology program. Seven schools were the recipients of the remote solar-powered interactive multimedia teachings aids.
DOST-3 Regional Director Julius Caesar Sicat said the teaching tools will provide teachers and students access to interactive lessons and exercises in Math and science subjects and simulated laboratory experiments.
With the provision of the teaching aids, Sicat said the DOST hopes to enhance the quality of the teaching-learning experience for both teachers and students as they can be used even without internet connectivity or a conventional electric power supply.
In turn, the recipients are thankful for the learning aid. One Zandro Donceras teacher-in-charge at Bato Elementary School thanked the DOST for the assistance that could help enhance their school’s teaching and learning environment.
He disclosed that from our schools where our students are Agta-Dumagats, they are very thankful for the e-learning technology that you have given that could help enhance their knowledge and cope with the present state of education. Moreover, he invoked them to please continue extending help to the indigenous schools which do not use technologies in teaching due to distance and lack of electricity.
The Philippines as a nation is very culturally diverse, perhaps because it’s made up of over 7,000 islands. The country has an estimated 14 to 17 million Indigenous Peoples (IPs) belonging to 110 ethnolinguistic groups. That’s a lot of people with over a hundred different dialects. Plus, there are a host of other major dialects (e.g., Tagalog, Visayan, Ilocano). Many of these communities are fairly isolated, not interacting often with other people from other areas. They further are disadvantaged when it comes to education, in part, because they live in remote, isolated and upland areas of the country.
Technology can play a huge role in mainstreaming these people groups and proving them access to education and, indeed, healthcare. With the right medium, they can be prepared to take a rightful part in the nation’s digital revolution.
Things are looking positive for the Philippines when it comes to digital transformation. Recently, it coopted a large space technology company to provide internet for the country via satellite. This is good news for the nation, including the recipients of the solar-powered teaching aids.
Indeed, the country is making the most of its digital adoption. The government is in fact using technology in just about every sector of its public service. For instance, to save on the rising price of fuel, Manila deployed smart technology in large government buildings to save energy and save on overhead in the long run as reported on OpenGov Asia.