Save the Children helps low-performing schools

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — An international organization, which has been helping Yolanda survivors to get back on their feet after the typhoon devastation six months ago, had partnered with the Department of Education in helping pupils of “low-performing” schools in this city via a bridging program “Summer Fun in Schools.”

The Save the Children organization focused on five “low performing” schools—the elementary schools in Barangays Mahayahay, Quezon Jr., Biliboy and Gaas—and the night class of the New Ormoc City National High School, to rehabilitate facilities and re-establish opportunities for pupils to continue their education.

The Summer Fun program targeted at least 600 schoolchildren, aged 14 to 16 years old, who underwent additional classes on literacy and numeracy for three hours per day for a period of three years.

To hasten the learning process, Save the Children made sure that the “play” aspect of every child was incorporated with the organization’s workers pitching in for some activity-filled classes.

Russ Pascual, information management project coordinator of  Save the Children, said “Learning is much quicker when it’s done through play.”

Save the Children project manager Tom Howells, in a briefing with reporters, said the group decided to run a program for pupils because, during an earlier consultation with more than 120 children, the key issue was on the uncertainty of their education due to the damaged schools and lack of numeracy and literacy materials. —Edgar Allan Vilbar with reports from Lalaine M. Jimenea