How did we identify the needs?
The secondary school in Pinamalayan town, Nabuslot National High School could no longer accommodate students in its limited classroom size. Many parents cannot send their children to another school in the neighbouring town as their main source of income from farming and fishing. Books, tuition fees, computers, and other educational aids exceed what their household can afford. They live in poor conditions and many are uneducated giving very little hope for the future.
The SIKAT team knows that it is difficult to bridge the gap between rich and poor. But it firmly believes that it is the right of every child and young adult to be given the chance to have a quality education and opportunity to learn the necessary skills in life and to have help in tapping into their own talents so that they they have the potential to contribute to the country.
Many children do not go to secondary school because their parents can not afford the uniform or tuition fee of £200.00 a year. But regardless of the quality of teaching in the Philippines, education in the main priority of many simply because it is by far the strongest weapon in the battle against poverty. But sadly even the most basic of education is not within reach of many part of the country.
For farmers and fishermen making a living has never been easy. Their children already have enough pressure in their lives but living in poverty and having to face poor school resources is just too much to bear. It would be wonderful to give them the experience of having books and materials that they can use to learn.
These pupils are eager to learn and fulfill their dreams and become teachers, doctors, engineers or nurses, and SIKAT wants to help them achieve their hopes and dreams and give them the chance to have a professional career by giving them a solid foundation and opportunity to escape poverty so that in time they can have a good quality of life.