Nicole Buerano
Student at Acacia Elementary School in Manila (Philippines)
Student at Acacia Elementary School in Manila (Philippines)
Nicole is a brilliant student—she loves to read, and her favorite subject in school is English—and she is about to discover her biggest dream: to fly, to become a flight attendant someday.
The rainy season begins in the Manila area in late June, so Nicole and her mother start their day by checking the weather forecast to prepare for the rain, if necessary.
From the air, the landscape of Malabon is a mix of modern skyscrapers and traditional low-rise buildings with colorful roofs. In the suburbs of this city—considered by many to be the “Philippine Venice”—floodwaters mix with sewage from a poorly maintained sewer system, which even causes health problems among the population, especially among young children.
After breakfast and getting ready, Nicole clears the dishes, puts on her uniform—a green skirt and white shirt—and walks to school with her mother and brother, dodging motorcycles, bicycles, cars, and tuk-tuks along the way.
Nicole’s school, Acacia Elementary School, is a small public school that is overcrowded with students: there are about 2,200 in total, divided into two shifts. Despite the lack of space and subpar facilities, it is a colorful, bright school with a few trees, where the children can learn at any time thanks to the painted lessons.
After coming home from school, Nicole will go to sleep, eagerly looking forward to a new sunny day full of adventures and learning, games, and sports at Acacia Elementary School. Between 2016 and 2018, 8.2 million children benefited from ProFuturo’s work in Asia.
I love going to school. I feel comfortable at school because I have really good teachers. I like going to class because I learn a lot of things.
Jeian Mae, Nicole’s teacher, is receiving training through the professional development programs for teachers that ProFuturo offers as part of its comprehensive digital education model. The teacher believes that ProFuturo will help Nicole have the same opportunities as children born into less vulnerable environments.
Nicole’s dreams and those of her teacher, Jeian Mae, intersect in the sky. Despite the challenges of their environment, their dreams center on a future full of opportunities for both of them—a future of airplanes and travels that will allow them to explore the world and discover new cultures, flavors, landscapes, and horizons.
With ProFuturo’s help, the teachers at Acacia work to spark the children’s curiosity and equip them with the skills needed in the 21st century, such as digital literacy, teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, and more. Teachers recognize the powerful appeal that technological devices hold for children—who are thrilled when they have class in the computer lab—and they use this to help their students reach their full potential.
The teaching staff uses ProFuturo’s educational content, which is designed to develop students’ curricular competencies, particularly in areas related to language arts and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
As was to be expected, the pandemic has also played a significant role in Nicole’s story. The Philippines, which has imposed some of the longest lockdowns in the world, was one of the last countries to reopen schools. UNICEF estimates that 27 million students have lost more than a year of in-person learning.
Fortunately, schools are beginning to resume in-person classes, and students like Nicole are gradually returning to their routine—a routine of teaching and learning that is essential for their development and a future without borders.