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Aid brings new hope to school children in Sibugay and Zambo City

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Myra Curativo, 10 of Kitabog Elementary School in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay joyfully played her flute to welcome Ms. Pilar Rodriguez of Fundacion Humanismo Y Democracia (H+D), during the groundbreaking ceremony of a two-classroom school building in their village. That was more than a year ago. Today, together with other school children, they are happy to occupy and use the newly constructed classroom funded by AECI (Agencia Española de Cooperacion International) through H+D.

Meanwhile in Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School, Zamboanga City, students were amazed to see the gadgetry in their speech lab. For the first time since the founding of their school, they will be able to use the speech laboratory to enhance their skills and proficiency in English language.

The crucial role played by stakeholders hastened the realization of the projects. Twenty-eight  new classrooms have been constructed in Zamboanga Sibugay’s 12 schools, decongesting over-crowded classrooms and increasing classroom-to-student ratio. Another two-classroom school building is expected to be finished this July, bringing to a total of 30 classrooms all in all.

Initial phase in the implementation of supplemental feeding project has reached out to about 550 indigent children in Zamboanga Sibugay, greatly helping poor families meet food requirements among school-aged children.

Students in this province particularly in village schools usually experience shortage of chairs and desks, forcing them to sit or squat on the floor. Four thousand one hundred ninety  arm chairs were distributed by the project to at least 40 elementary schools in Sibugay, increasing chair-to-student ratio particularly in congested schools. Another 3,060 chairs were also provided for the students of Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School in Zamboanga City.

Myra Curativo sees a positive sign in the coming in of assistance from AECI during the groundbreaking for a school building in their village last year. For her, this proved that despite the remoteness of her place to the nearest urban place in Zamboanga Sibugay or Zamboanga City, opportunities in accessing quality education is still within her reach.

One thousand one hundred school children like her in Sibugay, have also received various school supplies as part of the education aid package from Spain. Included in the assistance were shoes, socks, school bags and rain gears. The same education materials were also provided to at least 1,000 scholars at the Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School in Zamaboanga City.

Meanwhile, students of Makilas National High School and Pangi National High School all in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, were also glad to have received assorted Science laboratory and technology & livelihood equipment (TLE) from the project.

The immensity of education-related problem confronting school children in Zamboanga Sibugay and some parts of Zamboanga City still has its corresponding cure. Like Myra, school children in these depressed villages could still hope for a brighter future amidst the challenges brought by poverty in their community. (Danny Escabarte/PBSP) 

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