PALO, Leyte (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Eastern Visayas has deployed STARBOOKS units to six public elementary schools in response to the digital deprivation in education among remote areas in the region.
STARBOOKS, short for “Science & Technology Academic and Research-based Openly-Operated Kiosks,” is a stand-alone information kiosk in a specially designed pod structure or a digital library in a box.
The initiative aims to stimulate students’ curiosity and encourage the development of new ideas for innovations and inventions.
Learners can access a wide range of modules by tapping on the screen. This includes Interactive Science and Math Courseware, Disaster Mitigation resources, Region 8 Interactive Information, and livelihood and educational videos.
The units can be accessed without an internet connection, and modules can be easily printed.
We believe that the students are the future of our country. Their education and development are crucial for shaping the country’s future economic, social, and cultural landscape,” said Roderick B. Pacañot, DOST-8 planning officer.
Six schools each received a STARBOOKS unit: Luntad Elementary School in Palo, Leyte; Hanginan Elementary School in Maasin City, Southern Leyte; and Pulang Yuta Elementary School in Caibiran, Biliran.
This includes Cuyting Uy National High School in Jiabong, Samar; Eugenio S. Daza Pilot Elementary School in Borongan City, Eastern Samar, and Galutan National High School in Catarman, Northern Samar.
This invaluable resource will open doors to endless knowledge, especially for our learners coming from Indigenous people’s community or the Mamanwa Tribe,” said Chrizza T. Bernadas, the school head of Pulang Yuta Elementary School.
Partner agencies
This initiative is in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
We partnered with DOST because we are inspired by our aspiration, which is ‘Kasama Lahat sa Pag-unlad’ (‘Grow altogether in progress’), to reach and help several Filipinos nationwide, build a better Philippines, one community at a time,” said Juvylyn S. Reniva, associate director of BPI Foundation.
Donations from BPI Foundation Inc., worth P2.1 million, will enable 30 more remote schools across the Philippines to access free, state-of-the-art learning resources.
“Although these are only one per school, our goal is to start small, make lives easier, and inspire students to do better,” Reniva added.
The DOST-8 proudly announced that other than academic institutions, STARBOOKS is also available for local government units, non-government organizations, and private corporations. (AAC/JKPA, PIA Leyte)
