SM Foundation opens 109th school building
There are 3,000 enrollees, 99 percent of whom are Muslim students from Barangays Sta. Barbara, Rio Hondo, Marique and Kasanyagan
Santa Barbara Central School classrooms are each equipped with electric fans, toilets, wash basins, a curvex whiteboard, teacher’s table and chair, and students’ chairs with a special provision for left-handed student made by persons with disability.
Photograph courtesy OF SM Foundation
Santa Barbara Central School in Zamboanga received a new two-story, fully equipped four-classroom school building from SM Foundation, its 109th built so far nationwide.
There are 3,000 enrollees, 99 percent of whom are Muslim students from Barangays Sta. Barbara, Rio Hondo, Marique and Kasanyagan.
According to school principal, Annalia dela Zerna-Martin, aside from the 72 regular teachers, there are 18 mentors under contract to the Madrassah Educational Program of DepEd.
This program teaches Arabic language and Islamic values education (ALIVE) which makes this school the pilot school of the Madrassah Program.
Conducive for learning
The classrooms are each equipped with electric fans, toilets, wash basins, a curvex whiteboard, teacher’s table and chair and students’ chairs with a special provision for left-handed students made by PWDs who have been contracted by SMFI to make these chairs to provide them with a livelihood program.
On the ground floor of the building is a toilet for PWDs, a clinic, a mini library and a room for arts and music. Outside of the building is a handwashing facility for the students.
SMFI officials led by Linda Atayde, executive director for Education of SMFI and executive director of SM MinPro Arthur Pee Jin To officially turned over the building to Dr. Basilio Uy of DepEd, Zamboanga City together with the school principal, Dr. Ana Liza Martin, Dr. Elga Jarlega, district supervisor, DepEd, barangay captain Ustadz Jumad Musa and SPTA president Nidznalyn I. Kasim.