DepED-ARMM, Australian govt launch LIBRO for ARMM pupils

By Dominic I. Sanchez
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Nov. 27 (PIA) The Department of Education for the Autonomous
Region for Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) in partnership with the Australian Aids
(AusAid) Basic Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM) Program on
Tuesday, Nov. 25, launched the LIBRO Project, which aims to provide more of
ARMMs schoolchildren with books through donations from different sectors of
society.
The LIBRO, or Learning Improvement through Book Reading Opportunities, launched
at the Claret School of Zamboanga had initially pooled donated books from
organizations lie the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Destiny Center Zamboanga,
Ebenezer school, Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School, Junior Chamber International
(JCI) Davao, Pilar College, Rotary Clubs of Bongao and Zamboanga City West, Yogi
School, Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga Chong Hua School, and the
Young Moro Professionals Network.
BEAMs deputy team leader Ina Aquino said that this intervention hopes to engage
more stakeholders to join in the book-giving drive, citing that ARMMs children are in
dire need of help.
We have limited funds, and that is why we are urging the different sectors to help
us help ARMMs school children, Aquino said.
Atty. Jamar Kulayan, DepEd ARMM Secretary shared the difficulties, particularly in
reading competencies of many of ARMMs pupils. We have many children who have
trouble reading, and this is true even for some school teachers, he said. By helping
them improve their reading skills, we are making headway in improving their critical
thinking.
Aquino urged the public to donate more story books since these are much more
interesting for the young readers.
You can donate as a group or institution, or as an individual. Just simply contact our
field office in Zamboanga at the DepEd-9 compound in Normal Road, Baliwasan, or
call us at 955-3499, Aquino said. (FPG/DIS/PIA9-ZBST)