How great is the need for books and classroom materials in Mindoro, Philippines?
Many of the barrio schools have only a handful of books; school libraries and computer centers are largely non-existent. In many cases, an entire class share a single outdated, worn and tattered book. When textbooks, computers, science kits, toys and games, athletic equipment and consumable school supplies are delivered and unpacked, it is a major event and a cause for great celebration. For many students, it will be the first time they will use clean, modern books with colored illustrations, charts and photos, not to mention a computer or a science kit. According to the Department of Education, there are more than 1 million pre-literates in the country and more than 6 million people are deemed to be functionally illiterate. Many of these are found among the indigenous cultural communities where FMI will work. The languages spoken by a number of these communities have had no written tradition. Initial work involves linguistic research which leads to the development of an appropriate or
