The Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) has provided a P43,000 worth of Radio-Based Instruction (RBI) facility to Sarong Elementary School in Bataraza to strengthen its support to the learners in areas under blended learning scheme.
Community development organizer Monessa Usop said the facility is part of the mining company’s support to the students who are members of Indigenous group Pala’wan in areas under blended learning scheme particularly in far-flung areas.
“According sa kapitan, karamihan sa Igang-igang ay IP so ang ni-request nila sa RTN ay RBI kasi ‘yong iba ay hindi nila kayan pumunta sa school para sa module. Kasi diba dati ay module-module lang, pumupunta sila sa school. Sabi nila ay busy ang mga magulang sa basakan. Noong nagkaroon sila ng RBI ay ni-require naman sila na bumili ng radio, nakakasunod naman sila sa RBI,” she said.
Instead of playing, students can now use their time listening to lessons aired through RBI facility.
Usop added that while RBI isa helpful to the students, there are still other subject areas that demand module learning such as mathematics.
“Minsan kasi kapag magulang ang pumupunta sa school, iba rin ang nari-relay sa students. Kapag RBI ay ‘yong bata na talaga ang nakakarinig mula sa teachers,” she added.
“Sila rin ang nag-request kaya iyon din ang binigay ng company. Dati ay puro school supplies ang ibinibigay namin pero dahil iyan naman ang request ng school, pinagbigyan din namin sila at alam naman namin iyan din ang mas makakatulong sa kanila,” she said.
Jennfier Cruz, a teacher of Igang-igang believes that the support of RTNMC would be helpful to encourage more students to continue their studies despite of the struggles brought by distance and current pandemic.
“Ito ay malaking tulong sa mga mag-aaral ng Igang-Igang Elementary School upang maipag-patuloy ang kanilang pag-aaral sa pamamagitan ng radyo. Ito ay malaking kagaanan sa mga mag-aaral, magulang at mga guro,” Cruz said.
The budget allocation came from the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) under the education sector allocated for Brgy. Igang-Igang as one of the impact barangays of the mining operation.
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