This story unfolds as we receive a forwarded e-mail from one of our members last January 25, 2010. The e-mail came with an attachment: a one-page letter from a school principal based in Maasin, Zamboanga City earnestly relaying his school’s need:

“For 4 years, we have been visioning to have a Science Laboratory that could give our students the experience to utilize real science apparatuses that could enhance their critical and analytical thinking by doing experiments in a real sense of the word.

At present, we have one room intended for Science laboratory but with insufficient equipment. Having a Science Laboratory is a must considering the benefit it can give to our students and teachers. We have competent Science Teachers trained by Division, and Regional supervisors but they can not fully utilize their skills with the absence of a Science laboratory.  

Having a Science Laboratory is a first in our district and second of its kind in the entire Zamboanga City. And of course we are anticipating positive effect it could give to our school and the Division as a whole…” (Edsel R. Francisco, school principal, Maasin Learning Center)

In our reply to Mr. Francisco, we relayed to him the importance of education in the list of sectors the Brain Gain Network is focused on improving and enabling. Indeed, nobody can go wrong investing in education to secure promising and changing futures for all its stakeholders – students, teachers, parents, the local community and even the Department of Education.

With no hesitation, Paco and I passed Principal Francisco’s letter unto our personal contacts and likewise to all of you here in this global Filipino network. Let us all help him and Maasin.

Profile¹

The learning center in Barangay Maasin is situated in Zamboanga City’s Ayala District. Subanons² were the initial settlers of the place but present demographics prove otherwise.   Based on the school’s population (1,041 pupils) for school year 2009- 2010 the majority is led by Zamboangeños (52%), followed by Tausugs³ (28%), Visayans (14%), Samals⁴ (4%), Badjaos⁵ (1%), and Yakans⁶ (0.5%). The Subanons number at 0.3%.

Their current ratio of male to female students stands at 7:6. Families of the students rely on industrial, agricultural and fishing activities to address and sustain their basic needs.

Edsel Francisco’s letter proudly describes Maasin Learning Center as an e-IMPACT school, where there is Enhanced Instructional Management by the Parents, Community and Teachers. Simply, teaching is done in cooperation and collaboration by the educators, families and the villagers through learning modules developed across competencies indicated under the Revised Basic Education Curriculum⁷ (RBEC) of the Department of Education (DepEd). 

Students enroll in the module either as an individual or with a peer group with a programmed teacher or tutor. Progress is monitored based on how the child is able to master the lessons set forth in the different modules (these are available from Levels 1 to 6). A post-test is conducted to validate the child’s ability to master the lessons. If the child passes, the child can move to the next level of modules.

To give ourselves an idea on how the children are faring academically, the DepEd administered National Achievement Test (NAT) scores reveal that they are performing above average except in Filipino (see Table 1). The passing score in the NAT is 75%.  

Table 1: NAT Scores as of School Year 2008-2009

Conclusion

The lack of science facilities and infrastructure did not deter the children and the teachers from performing well in the NAT. It is sheer proof of how they were and are determined to achieve in spite of the constraints.

Nonetheless, their desire for a Science Laboratory with sufficient equipment would aid both teachers and students to conduct experiments and invent solutions or products that could possibly address their own local socio-economic concerns in the long-run.  

Mr. Francisco is eager to hear from any of us interested here in the Brain Gain Network realize their dream. Helping establish a Science Laboratory in Maasin’s e-IMPACT school displays our effective advocacy in drawing Filipinos worldwide to forge ideas and experiences together in enabling our own Filipino communities.

If some do eventually get involved in this, we would like to hear your journey and your stories so we can feature these here in the Brain Gain Network website.

Edsel Francisco can be reached at the following details: edsel_francisco07@yahoo.com.ph, (0909) 2891414 and (0915) 4056723.

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References

¹Profile of Maasin Learning Center from Edsel R. Francisco, School Principal.

² The name means "river people", derived from the word suba or river. They are a tribe indigenous to the Zamboanga Peninsula area, particularly living in the mountainous areas of Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis Occidental. These people originally lived along riverbanks in the lowlands. However, due to disturbances and competitions from other settlers, like the Muslims, inhabitants from Bukidnon, nearby Bohol and Cebu, the Subanons retreated and are living in the mountains. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subanon, http://litera1no4.tripod.com/subanon_frame.html

³ An ethnic group of Sulu and Malaysia. The term means "people of the current". They are part of the wider political identity of Muslim of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan known as Moro ethnic group, who constitute the third largest Ethnic groups of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taus%C5%ABg

⁴ A Muslim cultural-linguistic group of the Philippines mostly living in the southern islands of the Sulu Archipelago, southwest of Mindanao, mainly in the Tawi-Tawi island cluster. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/520216/Samal

⁵ Popularly known as "Sea Gypsies" of the Sulu and Celebes Seas, the name "Badjao" is a Malay-Bornean word which connotes "man of the seas" or Orang-Laut in Bahasa Malayo. http://library.thinkquest.org/C003235/badjao.html  

⁶ One of the 13 Moro groups in the Philippines, mainly residing in Basilan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakan

⁷ The Revised Basic Education Curriculum (2002) was introduced by the late and former DepEd Secretary Raul Roco as response to uplifting Philippine standards of education in a changing world. The Basic Education Curriculum then was found to be overcrowded, hence RBEC reduced the core subjects from eight to five. The core subjects then are Filipino, English, Science and Mathematics—also called tool subjects—and Makabayan.

RBEC is envisioned to equip Filipino students with life skills so that they become self-developed persons. Other qualities the RBEC strengthens are patriotism, experiential learning and self-sufficiency. http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/54a/220.html  

⁸ Called the laboratory of life, Makabayan is designed to help the students develop better interpersonal skills, empathy will cultures, vocational efficiency and problem-solving and decision-making skills.

The components of the elementary Makabayan include Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies), Edukasyong Pantahanan (Home Economics), Musika (Music), Sining (Art), Edukasyong Pangkatawan (Health Education), and Good Manners & Right Conduct.

For high schools, the Makabayan components are Social Studies, Teknolohiya at Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (Education Technology at Home and Work), Musika, Sining at Edukasyong Pangkatawan at Pangkalusugan and Edukasyong Pagpapahalaga (Values). http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/54a/220.html