For
years they have no electricity. For several years, many of the pupils are yet
to see a live television show.
But
with solar electrification program around, there was nothing better to welcome
the students in remote rural villages upon their return to schools than the
news that they soon will be able to watch educational television programs
courtesy of electricity from solar power.
Just
as well refurbished schools through the "Brigada Eskwela" program of
the Department of Education, welcome the pupils in far flung elementary schools
in Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi, they were also welcomed by solar energy courtesy
of the Alliance for Mindanao
and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development (AMORE).
Principals
and school heads of all 42 schools in Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi recently signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with AMORE for its Program for the schools’ electrification
through solar photovoltaic systems.
During
the signing, ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman was represented by his Chief
of Staff Amihilda Sangcopan, DepEd-ARMM Secretary Lawyer Jamar Kulayan by
Assistant Secretary Noor Mohammad Saada and AMORE by its chief of party Laurie
Navarro.
Also
present were BEE Director Shuaib Maulana, BSE Director Hamid Ladjakahal, SDS
Bai Alibai Benito-Aliuden of Maguindanao II Division and SDS Bai Meriam
Ampatuan-Kawit of Maguindanao I Division. Also present were school heads from
the target divisions.
The
beneficiary elementary schools, located in far and found in remote areas that
are not reached by conventional electricity, also received educational
television packages that consist of a television set, a DVD player and one
whole set of educational DVDs that contain programs designed to complement the
Department of Education’s basic education curriculum.
The
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, composed of the provinces of Maguindanao,
Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, has been a major destination of
community development projects of the AMORE Program since 2002.
A
rural electrification program that facilitates access among remote off-grid
communities to stand-alone renewable energy technologies, AMORE has so far
energized at least 300 rural schools mostly in Mindanao ,
nearly half of which are in ARMM, AMORE said in a statement.
More
than 70,000 students have so far benefited from renewable energy-powered
electricity and modern educational technologies.
Fun
and interactive learning, a more effective and impactful teaching, and improved
overall school performance are just some of the documented impact of
solar-powered educational television in the remote schools.
By
connecting students in poor rural villages to modern technology, AMORE strives
to give thousands of students improved learning environment, and thus, a chance
at a better quality of life in the future.
"Solar-powered
educational television increases young people’s knowledge and tease their imagination
of another world quite different from theirs," AMORE said in a statement.
More
than 10,000 elementary school students in Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi are
expected to benefit from the solar photovoltaic modules donated by the SunPower
Foundation, whose main company has solar photovoltaic manufacturing plants in
Batangas and Laguna.
To
ensure that the benefits of solar power and educational television are
maximized, the various school administrations take the lead in the equipment’s
operations and maintenance.
Active
participation and cooperation of the schools' parents-teachers-community
association toward a successful project maintenance was also solicited.
The
AMORE Program is a rural electrification alliance between the United States
Agency for International Development, Department of Energy, SunPower Foundation
and Winrock International.
It
has so far given renewable energy and lighting access to over 17,000 households
in more than 500 remote off-grid barangays in Mindanao .
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=540106
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