Better primary schools for Bantayan, Camotes

An agreement signing signaled the start of the school rehabilitation project of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) in Camotes and Bantayan islands.

RAFI deputy director for Operations Amaya Aboitiz signed the agreement with the town mayors of Bantayan town in Bantayan Island and Pilar, Poro and Tudela in Camotes and school heads of beneficiary schools last July 3.

The repair of 33 classrooms of public elementary schools in Bantayan and Camotes has just started this month.

The beneficiary schools are Tudela Central School in Tudela town; San Isidro Primary School, Cawit Elementary School and Esperanza Elementary School in Pilar town; Rizal Elementary School, Adela Elementary School and Teguis Elementary School in Poro town; Baigad Elementary School, Guiwanon Elementary School, San Jose Elementary School, Sungko Elementary School and Kampingganon Elementary School in Bantayan town.

Under the agreement, RAFI will shoulder the construction materials, which the local government units (LGUs) will provide the manpower as their counterpart. The LGUs will also provide a fund of at least P10,000 for the establishment of indigenous tree nursery in each school.

“I am so happy that our local leaders are prioritizing the education of our children by supporting us in this project,” said Anthony Dignadice, executive director of RAFI’s Education Development Unit.

“We will monitor the performance of the students based on the performance indicators of schools. If we see that the school is improving, we will continue support them,” Dignadice added.

“We are so thankful that the cracked walls of our school building will now be repaired by RAFI for the safety of our schoolchildren. Also with this project, we will be encouraged to improve our school’s mean percentage score in exams to meet the expectations of RAFI,” Lilian Otadoy, school head of Teguis Elementary School in Poro, Camotes, said.

Bantayan and Camotes islands are the second batch of beneficiaries of school repair.

Since 2004, the school rehabilitation project has repaired 476 classrooms in 142 public elementary schools in 37 municipalities of Cebu.

For more information about the school rehabilitation program, contact Jicel Reve Gabriel at 418-7234 local 205 or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.