Synergeia Foundation partners donated a total of P17 million to various public elementary schools around the country as they joined the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Adopt-a-School program.

Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, Synergeia chairman and president of the Ateneo de Manila University, said the decision of their partners to participate in the program is an “important piece in the puzzle” of reforming the country’s education system.

He added that getting private organizations to support public schools is one of the steps towards building alliances among various sectors to improve the quality of basic education.

DepEd representatives led by Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with various Synergeia donors and representatives of the selected beneficiaries and local government units.

Bernhard Krueger-Sprengel, Lufthansa President and CEO, noted that proper education is the key for Filipino children to take their place in society and become drivers of the Philippine economy.

“If this will make a difference in our children, every hour, every minute and every peso we invest are worth it,” he said. “It’s a pleasure for us to participate; it’s not only about money, it’s also about commitment.”

Under the MoU, the funds are going towards the following:

• Training of teachers in developing reading and mathematics skills of children;
• Development of instructional materials including workbooks for pupils, lesson plans, and teachers manuals;
• Training of parent leaders on responsible parenting and in supporting the learning of children at home and in school;
• Training of school administrators on management and building partnerships among major stakeholders in education;
• Performance assessment of teachers and students to assist benchmarking impact of learning programs; and
• Strengthening Local School Boards to enable them to lead and mobilize the community in implementing programs to help schools and students.

Synergeia will develop and implement the mechanisms that will promote collaboration between schools and their communities and facilitate the development and implementation of a training program for teachers and parents in collaboration with the DepEd, donors, parents, and other stakeholders in the community.

The Foundation is also in charge of the disbursement of the grant funds in accordance with the work program and will lead the evaluation of the impact of the training program on reading competencies of the targeted elementary school children.

Among the Synergeia partners who entered the government’s Adopt-A-School Program are: Alternatives Food Corporation; Citibank; Credit Suisse First Boston, Philippines; Ernst and Young; International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Foundation; I-Remit; Lufthansa; Manila Diamond Hotel; Mr. and Mrs. Ignacio Maramba; Philippine Tatler; Phinma Foundation; San Roque Power Corporation; STEAG State Power, Inc.; Transworld Corporation; and Washington Sycip Family Foundation.

The areas and schools that now benefit from their generosity are: Liberato Damian Elementary School, Oranbo Elementary School, San Joaquin, Elementary School, Manggahan Elementary School and Maybunga Elementary School in Pasig; Bagong Tanyag Elementary School (Main, Annex A, Annex B) in Taguig; Magat Salamat Elementary School, Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School, Gen. Vicente Lim Elementary School and Rosauro Almario Elementary School (Main, Annex Isla Putting Bato Gitna, Parola Annex) in Tondo.

Also, P. Guevarra Elementary School in Binondo; Rafael Palma Elementary School; and the towns of Dao and Ivizan in Capiz; San Jose Buenavista in Antique;  Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan; Silang, Cavite; Solano, Nueva Vizcaya; Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya; Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya; San Manuel, Pangasinan; San Nicolas, Pangasinan; Itogon, Benguet; Villanueva, Misamis Oriental; Kawit, Cavite; Misamis Oriental; and Sarangani.

 Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, Synergeia chairman and president of the Ateneo de
Manila University, and Mr. Bernhard Krueger-Sprengel, Lufthansa President
and CEO sign a Memorandum of Understanding at the Ateneo Professional
Schools, Rockwell Center in Makati City.