Sky, Knowledge Channel Foundation and DepEd launch Emergency Education Program

Learning continues for Taal Eruption evacuees through Edukalidad sa Kalamidad

With support from the Department of Education, children who are unable to go to school because of calamities like the Taal Volcano’ eruption can now continue to learn as SKY and Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) will be setting up EduKalidad sa Kalamidad, an emergency education assistance program that will include the provision of TV sets that can play educational materials in evacuation centers.

The SKY and KCFI initiative, in partnership with the Department of Education, is composed of 29 Gift of Knowledge Packages, each of which will include a multimedia television set, an external hard drive with more than 1,500 educational videos and over 1,000 digital resources of curriculum-based lessons in K-12 such as English, Math, Science, and Araling Panlipunan. They will be distributed to seven evacuation centers in Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna.

“We aim to give the much needed assistance to our young learners and make them feel that their education is cared for despite their current situation,” SKY president and chief operating officer Antonio Ventosa said.

Aside from the Gift of Knowledge packages, KCFI will also conduct psychological first aid (PFA) training to the teachers using the video series of the same name. The PFA training will help provide psycho-social support to the learners and community members in evacuation centers.

Learning Continues. Children of evacuees in San Pascual Elementary School in Batangas continue learning through Knowledge Channel’s educational videos on television.

Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc.’s president and executive director Rina Lopez-Bautista expressed the urgency of starting the program. “Our country is so vulnerable to disasters that this has become the new norm. We believe it is our duty to ensure that kids continue to learn. The longer they are out of school because of these calamities, the less likely they are to return.” Lopez also adds that with SKY’s help, Filipino children can adapt better especially in trying times.

By working closely with DepEd, SKY and KCFI aim to bring the Emergency Education Assistance Program not only to evacuation centers in Taal but also to temporary learning spaces and other evacuation sites across the country.

DepED and KCFI have also partnered in producing a set of educational videos that will be part of the Emergency Education Program. In the meantime, KCFI will be activating the Knowledge Channel Emergency Education Programming (KCEEP) every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday to cater to learners affected by calamities. KCEEP will air delayed episodes of lessons two weeks back every Tuesday and Saturday, and one week back every Thursday and Sunday.

SKY’s partnership with KCFI goes a long way back. Formerly called Sky Foundation Inc. in 1999, KCFI pioneered educational television in the country to help bring quality education to serviceable areas in the country. In 2016, more marginalized populations around the country, particularly the remote areas, including the farthest municipalities of Batanes, Palawan, Negros Oriental, and Compostela Valley, were given the same donations.

For more information on SKY, call your local SKY office or visit mysky.com.ph.

To know more about the Knowledge Channel Foundation or to donate, visit www.knowledgechannel.org.

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