ARMM provides free digital library to schools in the region

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, June 21 (PIA) - Thousands of students in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will no longer have a hard time doing research work as the regional government provides Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Station (STARBOOKS), dubbed as the “library in a box,” to a number of schools in the region.

STARBOOKS, the latest project of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), is a stand-alone research kiosk and a system designed especially for students who do in-depth research on science and technology resources.

DOST-ARMM Secretary Myra Alih said in the country only the ARMM government provides the STARBOOKS kiosks to the different schools for free.

“What makes the STARBOOKS unique and more useful is that people can access data needed even without internet connection,” she said.

Together with ARMM’s Department of Education, DOST-ARMM turned over Friday, June 20, a complete package of the science digital library to the ARMM Regional Science High School (RSHS) in Parang, Maguindanao.

The two agencies had earlier provided a similar package to the Racma Maniri Pimping National High School in Marawi City, making it the first recipient school of the project in the region.

“We are very glad that our school is one of the recipients of this science digital library, now we know we can compete with confidence with other schools in the country,” said Mike Castillon, a Grade 9 student at the ARMM RSHS.

The school’s principal, Myrna Lidasan, thanked the ARMM government for the help. “Now we really feel the presence of the ARMM government. We know this will bring more opportunities to our students and help them learn easier and faster.”

Meanwhile, ARMM Education Secretary Jamar Kulayan said they, together with the Basic Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao (BEAM), plan to turn over a laboratory for physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics to the school within the month.

The ARMM RSHS is regarded as the center for excellence in science and in mathematics in the region and is the only school in ARMM that provides a subject on robotics. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)