Expect more to be done to provide better education for Boracay’s children.
An international group of big-hearted residents, mostly educators, has established a non-stock, non-profit organization that aims to “…really focus on education,” according to Claus Bauer, the organization’s President.
The “Boracay Education and Development Fund” opened its doors this January and has gone to work to realize its mission.
This mission as related to education consists of building partnerships with various educational institutions and business organizations in the Philippines and overseas and helping communities develop sustainable education programs for Boracay’s youth.
Explaining the Boracay Fund’s initial focus on education, Bauer admitted that education remains the primary challenge for a lot of persons in the low income bracket. There is no doubt, however, as to the immense value of a good education.
“Through education, you can rise above your status in life,” Bauer pointed out.
Apart from Bauer, the Boracay Fund’s board of directors consists of Brian Keeler (Vice President, who has also been interviews in this issue), Immanuel Sodusta (Secretary), Eduardo Aldecoa (Treasurer) and Mathew O'Conner (Public Relations).
The Boracay Fund’s overarching goals are to help develop a stronger education system on Boracay; increase test scores and retention rates and provide the resources necessary to close the gap between private and public schools.
These development goals will be attained through a series of projects that include:
• Establishing a partnership with the Boracay European International School, a private school, to provide an opportunity for local students to attend an internationally accredited educational institution.
• Working work with local schools to provide more classrooms and teachers, books and supplies, and initiate a food program for students.
• Providing college and postgraduate scholarships.
• Establishing a tutoring program with the help of Paradise English Language Institute to help students prepare for their college entrance exams.
• Building a Library that will also provide afterschool programs for children and education seminars for adults.
For those who want to contribute to the Boracay Fund’s cause, they can do so on the fund’s website at www.boracayfund.org.
Besides supporting education, the Boracay Fund also intends to foster the island’s economic development through micro-financing or micro-credit, which are small loans to entrepreneurs and individuals who do not have access to conventional means of capital such as bank loans.
By focusing on easing access to education and micro-financing, the Boracay Fund believes it can help lower the poverty rate, increases life expectancy, reduce social exclusion and increase human productivity.
It also believes that the development of programs to reduce inequalities and foster economic benefits should increase the standard of living on Boracay.
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