RAFI, partners hold education summit

To further strengthen its advocacy on education, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) conducted an education summit at the Carcar City Sports Complex.

The summit, held in partnership with the Department of Education-Carcar City Division and the local government of Carcar last July 4, was attended by some 400 delegates composed of students and teachers from the city’s public and private schools, city officials, private individuals, out-of-school youth and schools’ alumni.

Representatives from Carcar City, the Project Management Team of Asturias and RAFI’s youth development program Kool Adventure Camp acted as workshop facilitators and briefed the participants on school governance.

Carcar City Mayor Nicepuro Apura delivered his State of Education Address. “It is my firm belief that the fate of the country depends upon the education of its people. Accepted as a universal truth, education is proven to be the most potent weapon in our war against poverty. It is the key that could open new doors to life-changing opportunities,” he said.

The Education Summit with the  theme, “Hiniusang Pakig-alayon: Yawe sa kalidad nga edukasyon” also gave the young people of Carcar City opportunity to express their concerns towards education.

“We are also happy to know the state of our education, especially our needs as students. Now we feel that we are important,” Isabel Maria Oamilda, a fourth year high school student of Gelacio C. Babao Sr. Memorial National High School in Carcar City, said in Cebuano.

The education summit is one of the major activities of EQUIP-CEBU (Educational Quality Improvement through Community Empowerment and Capacity Building).

“We gather here to strengthen a communal responsibility for education. Our problems involve meager resources. With the help of the local government unit of Carcar City and RAFI, we hope to improve the quality of education in our area,” Dr. Gregorio Cyrus Elejorde, Carcar City schools division superintendent said.

“We aim to see people responsible for education other than our teachers. With a strong community participation in school governance, education concerns will be addressed,” Elejorde added.

For more information about EQUIP-CEBU, contact Tanya Flores at 419-7234 local 209 or visit www.rafi.org.ph and www.facebook.com/rafi.or.ph.