SKY and Knowledge Channel donate “Gift of Knowledge” learning materials
When Remalyn Nimo returned to teach at Talbak Elementary School in Bulacan, the place where she spent her early education, the school looked far from ideal—it only has a few classrooms, no proper eating areas, a damaged roof, and did not have updated learning materials. But she saw a glimmer of hope when SKYdirect, SKY’s direct-to-home satellite TV service, and Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) brought to its teachers and children the curriculum-based learning materials that KCFI has already given to various schools around the country.
After years of pursuing higher education and a teaching stint in a private school in Manila, Remalyn decided to teach at Talbak to give back to the school where she got a good learning foundation.
“I was influenced by my teachers growing up. They are really my idols that’s why I studied very hard to accomplish my goals and eventually help my students now to reach their own,” she said.
With SKYdirect and Knowledge Channel’s gift to the school, the proud Talbak alumna will have an easier time teaching as lessons will be presented on television, and in a fun and easy-to-learn manner for students.
“It’s good that today’s schoolchildren are given the opportunity to learn through media made available by Knowledge Channel as enabled by SKYdirect. It’s much easier now for lessons to be taught with teaching materials like these, there’s really a big difference,” Remalyn said.
Media-based instruction has been proven effective several times. Around a decade ago, students in three public schools in Batanes—the Valugan Elementary School, Basco Central Elementary School, and Basco Science High School—performed a lot better in the National Achievement Test, scoring more than 20% after they were exposed to the materials provided by Knowledge Channel through media-based teaching modules.
The teaching materials developed by the foundation are aired over its television counterpart, Knowledge Channel, and used by teachers to make learning more attractive to young students, most of whom have never seen television screens before.
SKYdirect’s partnership with KCFI goes a long way back. Formerly called Sky Foundation Inc. in 1999, KCFI pioneered educational television in the country to help bring quality education to serviceable areas in the country. And in 2016 through the SKYdirect Gift of Knowledge kits, more marginalized populations around the country were served, particularly the remote areas, including the farthest municipalities of Batanes, Palawan, Negros Oriental, and Compostela Valley.
As SKYdirect uses satellite television technology, it is able to bring Knowledge Channel to home easily. It requires no heavy transport of equipment and can reach remote where satellite television signals are available.
Founded in 1999, Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. is the only non-profit organization in the Philippines that offers curriculum-based, multimedia educational resources and professional teacher training that improve teaching skills; thereby making learners learn better through technology.
It has established a solid reputation as a channel that has brought public schools nationwide access to innovative and fun multimedia learning for 16 years. Through its availability on SKYdirect, more Filipino students can gain a better learning experience. SKY Cable Corporation is a unit of leading media and entertainment organization of ABS-CBN Corporation.