Following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen disaster-preparedness in schools, the Department of Education launched EduKahon, a standardized and ready-to-deploy school recovery kit for students and teachers to use during disasters and calamities.
As part of the Learning Continuity strategy, Secretary Sonny Angara launched EduKahon at the Tabaco National High School in Albay.
“Ang ating mga mag-aaral at guro ang unang naaapektuhan tuwing may sakuna.”
“Ang ating mga mag-aaral at guro ang unang naaapektuhan tuwing may sakuna. Sa pamamagitan ng EduKahon, tinitiyak natin na tuloy ang pag-aaral ng mga bata at hindi mapuputol ang kanilang progreso sa kabila ng mga pangyayari,” Angara said.
Each kit contains school supplies and learning materials. There are three levels in the distribution of EduKahon – School Kit for the immediate recovery of the school and learning space, Teacher Kit to support teaching, and Learner Kit so the student will continue to have access to learning materials.
Each box is good for one teacher and 40 learners. It contains basic school supplies like pencil, notebook, ruler, eraser, scissors, laminated posters (alphabet, multiplication, number tables) books, hygiene kits and first aid kits.
For learners like Arianne Chloe Velilla, a Grade 10 student from Tabaco National High School, Edukahon brings hope.
“Pinakanagustuhan ko po yung solar panel kit po kasi hindi lang po ito sa mga guro makakatulong kundi para rin sa estudyante.”
“Pinakanagustuhan ko po yung solar panel kit po kasi hindi lang po ito sa mga guro makakatulong kundi para rin sa estudyante. Alam naman natin sa panahon ngayon maraming nangyayaring kalamidad,” Velilla said.
The contents of EduKahon are customized according to the needs of the affected school.
“Itong lahat ng inisyatibo ni Secretary Angara, under the guidance of our President Ferdinand Marcos, ay para ito sa lahat ng estudyante at mga guro. It’s not just for the continuity of education but also for their safety. ‘Yan talaga ‘yung number one na pinapahalagahan natin,” DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Fatima Lipp Panontongan explained.
DepEd has allotted P4 million from the Basic Education Curriculum for EduKahon’s initial funding.
The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) will be distributing and monitoring the kits in public schools and community learning centers (CLCs) affected by calamities around the country.
As an additional step, EduKahon will be added to the Adopt-a-School platform to give partners at donors the opportunity to directly help in the preparation and distribution of kits.
“Muli, hinihikayat natin ang ating mga private partners na suportahan ang EduKahon,” Angara said.
“Pagtulungan po natin na mas mabilis makabalik sa pag-aaral at makabangon ang ating mga apektadong paaralan, mag-aaral, at guro,” the education chief concluded.
