With the yearly increase in the number of students every school year in the country, the public schools face the problem of classroom shortage and poor learning conditions for students. Teachers often times hold classes in basketball courts or under the shade of trees within the school compound. Old and dilapidated classrooms and small storage rooms are also still being used by the schools to accommodate shifting classes with over 50 students per class.
To help address the problem on the shortage of classrooms in Mandaue City, Security Bank Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Security Bank Corporation, donated a two-storey, six classrooms school building each for Basak Elementary School and Jagobiao National High School or a total donation of twelve (12) classrooms. “We saw how difficult the learning conditions are in the public schools, so we decided to help build new classrooms for needy public schools. By building new learning facilities, we leave behind a legacy that will benefit many students for many years.”, Security Bank Foundation Chairman Rafael F. Simpao, Jr. explains.
With Security Bank Foundation’s donation of new classrooms in Mandaue City, the schools will have more classrooms conducive for learning for their students, class sizes will be reduced to below 50 students per class, shifting classes will be minimized and the number of class hours will be longer.
The twelve (12) concrete classrooms inclusive of comfort rooms for Basak Elementary School and Jagobiao National High School were inaugurated last November 7, 2013. Hon. Mayor Jonas C. Cortes, DepEd Mandaue City Division Schools Superintendent Dr. Virginia C. Zapanta, Ateneo de Manila University Vice President for Social Concern Atty. Jaime G. Hofileña and Security Bank Foundation Chairman Rafael F. Simpao, Jr. led the ceremonial ribbon cutting of the new school buildings.
In attendance during the event were Security Bank Foundation Trustee R. Melissa Aquino, Program Manager Mel Vigo-Cordova, Security Bank Visayas Area Head Wee Sing Sy and the Managers of Security Bank branches in Mandaue City and Cebu City. Also present to witness the event were members of the City Government of Mandaue, DepEd Division Office, the Local School Board of Mandaue City and the principals, teachers and students of the two (2) public school beneficiaries.
The donation of twelve (12) classrooms to the two (2) public schools in Mandaue City is part of the Foundation’s “Build a School, Build a Nation: The Classrooms Project”. The project is a partnership for the construction of Public School Classrooms initiated by Security Bank Foundation in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University over a period of 3-5 years. Funding from Security Bank Foundation will be supported by Ateneo’s design of academic programs that will help improve the academic performance of students in public schools. Since the formal launch of the Project in 2011, Security Bank Foundation have completed and turned over thirty-seven (37) classrooms to 10 public schools in Nueva Ecija, Naga City and Davao City.
Security Bank Foundation’s Classrooms Project also expanded and reached more communities when it partnered with AGAPP Foundation in June 2012 to help build forty (40) kindergarten classrooms for twenty (20) public schools in communities where Security Bank has presence.
In response to the Government’s call for support for the new K+12 Education Program of the Department of Education, Security Bank Foundation’s Classrooms Project is committed to build 200 classrooms for public schools nationwide to benefit 10,000-15,000 students every school year and to reduce the gap of over 40,000 classrooms in the country.
To know more about the Security Bank Foundation, visit www.securitybank.com/foundation.