THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology in Region III has provided teaching aids to three indigenous schools in Pampanga province.

The solar-powered, interactive, multimedia teaching aids were given to the Calapi Negrito Elementary School and Marcos Village Elementary School in Mabalacat City and Nabuclod Integrated School in Floridablanca.

They contain teaching and K+12-aligned learning modules in science and mathematics designed to enrich the classroom experience of learners and teachers.

Since the teaching aids are solar powered, they are especially suited in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas where electricity is absent.

The provision of the teaching equipment was made possible through DOST-3 Community Empowerment’s Science and Technology program. DOST coordinated closely with the Department of Education and technology provider Frontliners, Inc. for the program.

“Thank you DOST for enhancing our school’s teaching and learning environment,” Carlo Fernando Y. Data, Calapi Negrito Elementary School school head and an indigenous people’s rights advocate, said.

Meanwhile, the Mawacat Elementary School, also an Aeta school in Floridablanca, received a set of Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Stations or STARBOOKS. It is a digital library that can be accessed without internet connectivity. It contains thousands of digitized S&T resources in various formats.

School Principal Mary Joy Q. Biag, together with Brgy. Capt. Marilou S. Bacani, received the equipment.

Aside from the provision of STARBOOKS, DOST has also provided assistance through a supplemental feeding program and the establishment of a Pangkabuhayang Gulayan sa Barangay.