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| (Image Source: Smart Communications) |
As the world celebrated International Mother Language Day in February, PLDT and wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) sustained their support for LearnSmart Apps, boosting the Department of Education (DepEd)’s mother tongue-based multilingual education strategy. “PLDT and Smart support the use of mother tongue in learning and work with the regional office of the Department of Education and members of the academe to craft age-appropriate and culturally responsive content that not only help in early learning development but also in the awareness and appreciation of indigenous culture,” said PLDT and Smart Assistant Vice President and Stakeholder Management Head Stephanie Orlino.
LearnSmart mobile applications are digital learning tools developed with local partners to teach basic reading and numeracy skills in their own vernacular. There are 10 LearnSmart Apps developed by PLDT and Smart available for free on Android devices via Google Playstore. These include the folllowing: Bahay Kubo – Tagalog (Southern Luzon), Gnare Blaan – Blaan (Southern Mindanao), Kaallam – Cebuano (Central Visayas), Kaaram – Waray (Eastern Visayas), Katao – Inabaknon (Northern Samar), Matigsalug – Matigsalug (Bukidnon), Sanut Ilokano – Ilokano (Northern Luzon), Singsing Kapampangan – Kapampangan (Central Luzon), Taallam – Arabic, Islamic values (Mindanao), and Tahderiyyah – Arabic, Islamic values (Bangsamoro).
LearnSmart Apps are a shared value program of the PLDT Group’s education initiatives. These learning tools are often installed in tablets inside School-in-a-Bag packages before they’re deployed to last-mile schools in hard-to-reach areas around the country. PLDT and Smart, together with their local partners, continue to develop mother tongue-based digital applications for learning. They plan to add another LearnSmart App in the second quarter of the year. PLDT and Smart’s education programs promote the use of technology to help bridge the digital divide and promote inclusive learning. These efforts aim to empower and build bridges of collaboration across sectors and communities towards a sustainable future. Furthermore, PLDT and Smart create and support various educational initiatives in line with their commitment to helping the nation achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) No. 4 which is Quality Education.
