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500 Sulu Teachers “Shop” From Among 200,000 books at USAID EQuALLS2 fair in Jolo

Almost 500 public elementary school teachers from 141 schools in six municipalities of Sulu Province “shopped” for the books they needed from among 200,000 books at a book fair that USAID's Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills Project (EQuALLS2) held in Jolo on August 17. Using a points system that is based on the number of students in the school, teachers are given “vouchers” which they can then use to “purchase” the books that the U.S.-based Brother’s Brother Foundation donated. The fair was expected to benefit 45,000 children from one of the country's poorest and most conflict-affected provinces.
U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney and Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan (right) join school children who greeted them at the book fair that USAID's Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills Project (EQuALLS2) held in Jolo on August 17. About 45,000 children from the conflict-affected provinces of Mindanao are expected to benefit from the fair that featured 200,000 books donated by the U.S.-based Brother’s Brother Foundation. In partnership with Brother’s Brother Foundation, the USAID book distribution program has already placed 1.3 million books in 741 schools in regions 9, 12, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. This public-private partnership is worth $80-million dollars, and by 2011, will distribute two million books to all EQuALLS sites.
Public elementary school teachers from Sulu carefully chose the books their students needed from the 200,000 books that USAID's EQuALLS2 Project made available to them at the Sulu Book Fair. Based on the student population of each EQuALLS-assisted school, the teachers were issued “vouchers” with which to buy the books that they judge most useful to their students, maximizing prospects that the quality books will be used in the classrooms. Similar EQuALLS book fairs were held in Koronadal City and Zamboanga City last year.
U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney holds up the "thank you" card that children from EQuALLS2-assisted public elementary schools in Sulu prepared for her during the Sulu Book Fair. With her are (from left:) Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin, Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, and USAID/Philippines Mission Director Jon Lindborg.

Last Update :: 08/24/2009

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