Wednesday, March 7, 2012

P&G e-studyante laptop campaign

One prevailing problem our country is still struggling to overcome is the educational system by which for so many decades, our statistics have been deteriorating making our country as one of the lowest in literacy in Asia. Despite government efforts to improve the situation through increase in budget allocation, the reality is that there about 1million children are still struggling to have an access to a decent education.



The United Nation’s mandate on Millennium Development Goals (MDG), calls for a cohesive effort of all sectors including private institutions in their CSR programs to take part of improving the literacy and educational system of many third world countries including the Philippines. The Proctor and Gamble P&G is one these institutions who are initiating and leading to solve the educational crisis we are now facing. 




Part of their program is an audacious initiative to provide XO laptop computers to under privileged elementary schools in the country. This initiative is a collaborative effort of different partners namely, P&G, Synergia Foundation, e-kindling and Smart Communication



Last March 1, 2012, P&G and the rest of Laptop campaign partners including the members of the media were invited to witness the unveiling of the 340 laptops to the students of Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School, Tondo Manila. The MLQES, is among the schools Synergia Foundation have identified that will be benefited by the Laptop campaign. 



The hardware are the XO laptop by One Laptop per Child, a potent learning tool designed to serve the world poorest communities living in the most remote environment. The XO laptop is a self contained mesh network and each unit is a full-time wireless router. Students, their teachers and even families in the remotest regions in the planet will be connected both to one another and to the internet. Each machine is loaded with software called Sugar. This platform is designed to provide mechanism for collaboration, reflection and exploration. It covers broad range of applications such as browsing, drawing, composing, writing, programming and other activities typical to the regular activities a student need.



The roll-out of 340 laptops in MLQES is just the beginning of a much bigger vision. P&G and its partners’ ultimate desire are to distribute 1 million laptops in 25 years. This momentous effort though a colossal undertaking as it is, may still be not enough to scratch the surface of the educational crisis considering that in the next 25 years, our population would climb 10 fold in terms of number of children not having access to education unless such initiative will create a ripple effect that will prompt all sectors of the society to work hand in hand in creating a much larger impact in solving the educational crisis of our country.

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