DEPARTMENT of Education Secretary Sonny Angara (left) and Israeli Ambassador Dana Kursh (second from left) inaugurate a new high-tech, child-friendly Information and Communications Technology Learning Resource Center at Jacinto Zamora Elementary School in Pandacan, Manila on Wednesday.
PHOTOGRAPH by Vivienne Angeles for DAILY TRIBUNE/department of education
The Israeli Embassy and the Department of Education (DepEd) unveiled a new digital literacy center Wednesday at Jacinto Zamora Elementary School in Pandacan, Manila to help public school students develop technology and programming skills.
The embassy donated the Israel-Philippines Digital Literacy Center to commemorate Israel’s 78th Independence Day. The project refurbished the school’s existing information and communications technology room into a modern learning hub.
Israeli Ambassador Dana Kursh said the project seeks to provide opportunities and inspire young learners through technology.
“What you see here is a really digital learning center that is not just a place to learn. It’s a place to be inspired. It’s a place to dream,” Kursh said.
She added that embassy personnel will visit the school to interact with the children and identify further goals they want to achieve.
The upgraded center features desktop computers, modern learning furniture, essential tech tools and a reading nook designed to promote independent learning.
It also includes educational books, interactive board games and CodeMonkey, a platform that introduces students to programming and problem-solving through interactive lessons.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara stressed the value of international cooperation in investing in education and youth development.
“We said, let’s invest in something for the future, and investing in the future means investing in education and in the next generation of leaders,” Kursh said of the partnership.
The facility will function as a multipurpose hub where students can access educational resources, conduct research and complete schoolwork. Teachers will also gain better access to digital instructional materials and technology-based teaching tools.
The Israeli Embassy has committed to providing ongoing support to ensure the facility remains accessible to learners beyond regular class hours.
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Kiko Benitez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Tess Lazaro, and representatives from the Commission on Higher Education also attended the launch.
