DOST brings digital science library to Olongapo public schools
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Five public schools in Olongapo City have become the latest recipients of the first digital science library in the Philippines, the Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosks (STARBOOKS) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The recipient schools are Olongapo City National High School, New Cabalan National High School, Olongapo City Elementary School, New Cabalan Elementary School, and Sergia Soriano Esteban Integrated School-SPED Center.
STARBOOKS kiosk is a stand-alone information source that operates even without the use of the internet. The information it contains comes in a variety of media -text, video, and audio which can be accessed offline, making it a “very valuable learning resource” for schools located in far-flung areas.
DOST-3 Regional Director Julius Caesar Sicat said on Monday STARBOOKS is DOST’s response to the call to make science and technology available to more students.
“STARBOOKS has facilitated students’ research activities as they now have access to science and technology-based information previously available only in big school libraries,” Sicat said in a statement.
He said the DOST will continue to work with the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide the means by which more schools may benefit from such technologies.
Schools Division Superintendent Leilani Samson Cunanan said DepEd is “always ready and willing to engage” in partnerships with other stakeholders for the acquisition of equipment so that teachers and learners alike are not left behind.
“The STARBOOKS will widen the information resource material that our students will need in all their studies, research, and their regular academic concerns. I hope the DOST would reach out to more academic institutions so that everybody can have access to the information,” Cunanan said. (PNA)