Danding honors scholars in graduation rites
Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. awarded diplomas to 784 public elementary and secondary school teachers who earned the degree of Master of Arts in Teaching as Eduardo Cojuangco Foundation (ECF) scholars at the first graduation rites of Project FREE (Flagships to Reach Educational Excellence) at the Tarlac State University Gym in Tarlac City last Saturday.
The second graduation for public school teachers with the degrees of Master of Arts in Education and Master in Educational Management will be held in November, and the third graduation will be for scholars in the doctorate program in June next year. Project FREE is a P45-million undertaking of ECF in coordination with the Department of Education, Tarlac State University and the University of St. La Salle. Close to 2,000 Tarlac public school teachers who are Project FREE scholars will graduate with La Salle diplomas.
Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro delivered the commencement address at the Tarlac graduation.
Cojuangco was joined by his wife Gretchen, Rep. Enrique Cojuangco, Tarlac State University president Priscilla Viuya, University of St. La Salle president Bro. Raymundo Suplido, DLSU vice chancellor Bro. Bernardo Oca, Department of Education regional director Isabelita Borres, DepEd provincial director Antonieta Tiotuico and DepEd Tarlac City director Lilia Santiago in awarding diplomas to the graduates.
When Project FREE was first launched in the fourth district of Negros Occidental in 1999, it was hailed as a breakthrough private effort towards the upliftment of educational standards.
The success of the program was evident in the high scores of graduates taught by Project FREE teacher-scholars in national ratings.
Two years ago, Cojuangco decided to replicate the success not only in one district but throughout his home province of Tarlac. The launch of the Tarlac project coincided with ECF’s 25th anniversary.
Receiving highest honors in the graduation was Jesus del Rosario, 25, a mathematics major. Cited for best project papers were Rodel Navarra, Anibay Ferrer, Rodolfo Bruno and Maricel Ramos.
In the non-thesis category, the scholars with highest academic honors were Avelina Bruno, Lucia Danao, Lucita Reyes and Michelle Valencia.
Cojuangco said, “By educating teachers, we hope to raise the standards for our schools... Project FREE strives to improve the training and mentoring process for teachers so that they gain the confidence to then go out and pass on what they know and what they have learned to their students.”
He said, “I share a vision of a society where every child grows up able to aspire with a ladder of opportunity that a solid education provides – a solid education that can only come from talented, welltrained and well-informed teachers... Project FREE is our attempt to create a system of education in the hands of many, regardless of their background and economic standing.”
Cojuangco added, “As a businessman, I look at education and see the importance of a skilled and highly trained workforce; as a sometime politician, I look at education and see it as a means to promote economic and social equity...
“For many of our marginalized constituents, education is the gateway, the liberating force and equalizer that can provide upward social mobility and altogether transform their lives...
“In our globalized world, we desperately need all our young people to have the best start in life and apart from our own parents, our basic education teachers are key in sparking among our children a love for learning, an inquisitive spirit and a lifelong desire to be the best that they can possibly be.”