The Department of Science and Technology-National Capital
Region, through its four S&T clustered areas, recently initiated activities
to make classrooms in selected elementary and high schools in the region
conducive to learning in time for the new school year.
Partner
schools were chosen, within the barangays, which have been previously assisted
by DOST-NCR through its Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology
(CEST) Program. For the first time in DOST-NCR’s history, each clustered area
was tasked to conduct similar activities in support of the Brigada Eskwela 2019
program. Selected school recipients included the C.M. Recto High School
(Main and Annex), Palanan Elementary School, and Zamora Elementary School for
the PAMAMAZON cluster; CAA National High School for MUNTAPARLAS; Catmon
Integrated School for CAMANAVA; and, the Pinagbuhatan Elementary School for
PAMAMARISAN.
Held from
May 20 to 25, 2019, the agency kicked off the activities with its own clean up
drive with DOST-NCR staff trooping to the schools for minor repairs, maintenance
work, and some cleaning to make the classrooms ready for its new batch of
students. Now on its 16th year with the theme “Matatag na Bayan para sa Maunlad
na Paaralan,” Brigada Eskwela is also known as the National Schools Maintenance
Week. It encourages people from the public and private sectors to
volunteer their time and resources to spruce up public elementary and high
schools nationwide before the opening of classes. In addition to the volunteer
activities, some cleaning implements were also donated to the schools to
sustain their clean-up and maintenance programs.
Aside from readying the classrooms, DOST-NCR also conducted seminar-lectures to perk up young minds and prepare the teachers and parents to develop creative thinking and supplement their knowledge on different subject matters.
For the PAMAMAZON (Pasay, Manila, Makati, and Quezon
City) Cluster, Ms. Elvin Almazar, Senior Science Research Specialist, gave
Grades 3 to 6 pupils of Palanan Elementary School in Makati City a glimpse on how
to build one’s Creative abilities. Aside from engaging young people to exercise
their creativity, the seminar also encouraged the young school children to
think-outside-of-the-box, a critical decision making and invention development
skill. These are also essential for finding solutions for pressing needs of our
society and communities today.
In the
MUNTAPARLAS (Muntinlupa, Taguig, Parañaque, Pateros, and Las Piñas) Cluster,
DOST-Science Education Institute’s (DOST-SEI) Dr. Ruby Cristobal, Chief Science
Research Specialist, urged junior HS students to be part of the country's
science community and explained the various scholarship opportunities available
at DOST that can be availed by the students of the CAA National High
School-Annex in Las Piñas City.
In the
PAMAMARISAN (Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, and San Juan) Cluster, Twinville
Homeowner’s Association’s officer, Mr. Magno S. Manahan and DOST-NCR’s Ms.
Elvin B. Almazar conducted a training for teachers, gardening and maintenance
personnel, and volunteers on the application of SNAP Hydroponics. They
discussed the importance of urban agriculture and the benefits of growing your
own vegetables by covering the materials needed, and step-by-step guide on
starting, maintaining, and utilizing the kits to grow and harvest vegetables.
In the
CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela) Cluster, a seminar on
Safe Food Handling and Preparation and a livelihood training on Squash-based
Recipes was held at Catmon Integrated School in Malabon City. Teachers,
parents, school canteen personnel, and even students, participated and teamed
up to learn how to prepare and enjoy safer and healthier meals.
Recognizing the need to equip students with digital
learning tools for faster information dissemination, DOST-NCR installed
STARBOOKS (Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated
Kiosks) at the Palanan Elementary School (1 unit), Catmon Integrated School (2
units), and CAA National High School – Annex (1 unit). Dubbed as a
library-in-a box, STARBOOKS contains thousands of digitized S&T information
resources in various formats: text, videos and audios that can be accessed
offline though the kiosks.
Mr.
Michael Lark Latoja, DOST-NCR’s STARBOOKS Coordinator, conducted an
orientation-workshop for teachers and students of the aforementioned schools.
He demonstrated how to use and access the unit, as well as the new features of
STARBOOKS. Highlighted were the “Tamang DOSTkarte Livelihood Videos”,
which are deemed useful for TLE teachers. In this activity, Mr. Latoja also
explained how thousands of lessons and exercises, aligned with the DepEd’s K12
curriculum, can be accessed from the kiosk by the teachers.
The
schools also received samples of novel food products made by the Industrial
Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI). Students, and even parents
and teachers enjoyed the refreshing Red Calamansi Juice and the tasty Vacuum
Fried Vegetables consisting of okra, potatoes, and carrots. Apart from the
unique snacks, they were also treated to a taste of the ready-to-eat (RTE)
Chicken Arroz Caldo, developed by ITDI’s Packaging Technology Division (PTD),
which is included in the Pack of Hope meal kits used as emergency food during
disasters.
In the
coming weeks, still in support of Brigada Eskwela, DOST-NCR will conduct a
disaster preparedness seminar at the Dela Paz Elementary School and meal
management training in Catmon Integrated School.
Though
these engagements may seem brief and limited, DOST-NCR looks forward to further
extend its assistance to learning institutions in various ways that can really
make “Science for the People” felt at the grassroots.
