SM Prime, Star Appliances donate school building in Antipolo
Through SM Foundation, SM PRIME in partnership with Star Appliances turned over to Mayamot Elementary School in Antipolo City a brand new fully furnished two-story four-classroom school building.
This is the first partnership between SM Prime and Star Appliances in SM Foundation’s School Building Program.
Mayamot Elementary School did not only receive a brand new school building but also armchairs with 20 left-handed ones, four teacher’s desk sets, eight blackboards, 16 wall fans, four wall clocks and four washrooms with water closets.
School principal Romeo Rodriguez calls Mayamot Elementary School a “childfriendly” institution because of the new amenities.
“Our left-handed students now use left-handed chairs easing their writing problems. Likewise, toilets are inside the classrooms, unlike traditional classrooms where toilets were located outside the rooms. That is why we have that popular excuse ‘May I go out?’” Rodriguez said
According to Linda Atayde, SM Foundation executive director for education, the toilets in the classrooms provide better personal hygiene for students.
SM Foundation’s School Building Program is guided by Tatang Henry Sy’s life’s principles… Beyond profits a company’s success is also measured by how its communities thrive.
For communities to thrive and be sustainable, this entails nourishing the young students to their growth path, through education and better learning facilities, in keeping with the UN Sustainable Development Goals of reducing poverty (through education) and helping Planet Earth by preventing rising temperatures through carbon emission reduction practices.
The building will be occupied by Grade 6 students.
The total number of students for school year 20172018 is 4,692 at a ratio of 45 students per classroom.
This is SM Foundation’s 87th school building with a total of 276 classrooms donated by SM Foundation with vital amenities to enhance the students’ learning environment and provide disabled students equal opportunities with the normal kids in the course of their education.
Studies have shown that students provided with an environment that is highly conducive to learning are able to focus on their lessons and further develop their creativity.
“The classroom is the heart of any educational system,” writes Dr. Yetunda Ijaiya, in her research paper, “Effects of Overcrowded Classrooms on Teacher-Student Interactions.”
Ijaiya also finds that “over crowdedness (in classrooms) diminishes the quantity and quality of teaching and learning with serious implications for attainment of educational goals” and that “seating arrangement can make or mar any lesson.”