As the world has been confronted with this pandemic, a lot of predicaments arises most especially concerning the children’s education. If we look at the bigger picture and the vantage point, the answer to the question of how we are going to sustain and continue students’ learning in these trying times becomes more uncertain. This issue cannot be answered nor addressed by solely one person. This is a worldwide concern that needs imperative actions.
“It takes a village to educate a child.” Truly, educating our children is a shared responsibility among the people in the community, be it in the government or non-government agencies. Ensuring our children to become functional literate – able to read and write, despite facing this pandemic measures the responsiveness of the organization. Rotary Club of Calbayog, a nonprofit organization, has become the silver lining in this challenging time purveying plethora of opportunities which make learning possible and accessible to our learners. The organization has responded positively to addressing the issues and concerns about rendering quality basic education and literacy as one of the thrusts of rotary service in partnership with Mrs. Lourdes L. Matan, Education Program Supervisor in Filipino of DepEd Calbayog and the innovator/Proponent of BIBAY SA PAGBASA. This partnership has initiated and metamorphosized a noble cause that will alleviate and ameliorate the children’s literacy gap. Bringing literacy and reading to the doorstep and within the comfort of our children’s homes without feeling anxious of being infected by this pandemic has become the inspiration and motivation of the organization catapulted to crafting digitized modules of “Panurundon sa Pagbasa.”
“Panurundon sa Pagbasa” is an innovation providing self-paced learning of beginning reading– a powerful and effective breakthrough towards children’s literacy under the project BIBAY sa Pagbasa. The said innovation is composed of steps in reading in eight (8) books with digitized modules. Last year (2021), with the advent of technology coupled with the shared vision of making “Panurundon sa Pagbasa” more accessible to children, the Rotary Club of Calbayog, in partnership with Deped Calbayog City, donated CD tapes and 200 USBs for the “Panurundon sa Pagbasa” Digitized Modules Book 1 Project amounting to Sixty Thousand Pesos (Php 60, 000.00). This is an illustrious campaign of the organization in sustaining literacy and bridging the literacy gaps.
Furthermore, “Panurundon sa Pagbasa” Digitized Modules Project still exists and continuously expands this year as the organization, with its sustained efforts, allocated Eighty Thousand Pesos (Php 80, 000.00) for substantiating “Panurundon sa Pagbasa” Digitized Modules Book 2 to Book 5.
Nemo dat quod non habet” – this maxim literally means no one can give what they do not have. Inarguably, Rotary Club of Greater Calbayog, an edification of excellence, has become the provider of the children’s need especially responding to those children who are hungry of learning. With delighted and gratified hearts, nothing can ever stop the quest for education and literacy, not even this pandemic. Truly, nothing beats the act of kindness, no matter how small or big it is. We can always a make a difference.
