- 10 public San Marcelino schools equipped with digital tools under the CENTEX Digital Education Project to enhance access and learning.
- 250 tablets and nine Starlink kits deployed, enabling interactive lessons, real-time assessments, and student-led learning.
- Student performance improved significantly, with scores doubling in 12 weeks, highlighting the impact of technology and teacher mentoring on education quality.
10 public San Marcelino elementary schools in Zambales have been provided with digital learning equipment to promote digital education accessibility and enrich teaching materials in the municipality, under the Center of Excellence (CENTEX) Digital Education Project.
A joint project of the Ayala Foundation and the local government, the project seeks to enhance digital education and training of teachers in public schools, especially for areas far from urban centers. In his letter, Mayor Elvis Ragadio Soria underscored the value of equal access to learning opportunities.
"Worthy to be given the opportunity are the young Marcelinean children to reach the higher level of learning through the help of their teachers and technology", he said.
The recipient schools were provided with 250 tablets and nine Starlink internet kits to augment online classes and digital tool infusion in the classroom. The beneficiary schools are Sta. Fe Elementary School, Sta. Fe Oit Elementary School, Baliwet Elementary School, United Nation Women Aeta School, Chiang Chio Te Memorial Aeta School, Aglao Elementary School, Buhawen Elementary School, Lawin Elementary School, Dalanawan Elementary School, and Judd Hendrick Memorial Aeta School.
Laoag Integrated School Master Teacher Rosela Polante contributed how the program changed their classroom experience. From the old 'chalk and talk, "our lessons are now more interactive and technologically based. Lessons are now more student-led, and it is easier for us to prepare because the materials are readily available on Khan Academy. With a single click, all the work is set for the students", she described.
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"Polante went on to say that they have also seen much improvement in student performance with the implementation of digital assessment tools. Since we can see students' performance in real-time, we can directly know who needs assistance. In Math, for instance, we can see that the students who used to be struggling are now very engaged and confident. The visual and interactive lessons really assist them in comprehending the concepts better", she added.
Deployed through the High Touch, High Tech learning paradigm, the CENTEX Digital Education Project integrates adaptive learning platforms like Khan Academy Philippines with mentoring of teachers to enhance classroom participation and student performance.
The project is carried out through collaboration among the Ayala Foundation, Department of Education, San Mar Solar Energy Inc., Huawei, Philanthropy Asia Alliance, and the Education Development Center. It offers both digital resources and capacity development to teachers for the purpose of improving teaching in Mathematics and other courses. In its initial year in 2024, the program assisted over 1,600 students from nine San Marcelino public schools.
A study by the Global Education Development Center, involving scholars from the University of Illinois and the University of Glasgow, revealed that students' scores doubled within 12 weeks from 27 percent to 56 percent or equivalent to four months' worth of additional learning. With the continued collaboration between the government, education industry, and private institutions, San Marcelino continues to strive to build inclusive, technology-enabling learning environments for all learners.
