To address challenges in education by providing diverse opportunities to learners, teachers, and communities, reflecting the university’s steadfast commitment to meaningful community service, Sorsogon State University (SorSU) formally signed Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Education (DepEd) – Schools Division of Sorsogon City for the SINAG Program (Sorsogon Initiatives for Numeracy Advancement & Growth) and Project Quirino: Quirino leading a Unified Initiative towards Rural Integration to Network of Opportunities, through its Component Project: Functional Literacy and Children’s Development (FLCD) on August 11, 2025, at the DepEd Sorsogon City Office, Cabid-an, Sorsogon City.
The SINAG Program, headed by Dr. Aldrin John J. Estonanto (Program Leader, SINAG Program), is composed of five projects: (1) Project SPARK-ARAL Math: Special Project for Academic Remediation & Knowledge-recovery in support to Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program in Mathematics; (2) Project PISA-MAP: Project for Innovative Math Assessment & PISA Readiness Training; (3) Project PISA-Dev: PISA Reviewer Development for Secondary Mathematics; (4) Project SMART-AI: Strategic Math Advancement & Resource Training with AI; (5) Project PRISM: PISA Review & Intensive Support in Mathematics. The program is designed to address difficulties in mathematics education through capacity-building activities for teachers and targeted interventions for students.
The extension undertaking will mobilize faculty and student volunteer-extensionists to support beneficiary schools, provide expert resources for capacity building, create PISA-aligned materials in coordination with DepEd researchers and subject matter experts, ensure essential facilities for program implementation, generate research on project impact, and report on project progress.
Meanwhile, Project Quirino, led by Dr. Ana Cristina G. Fortes (Project Leader, Project Quirino), aims to transform Sitio Quirino into a sustainable and resilient rural community in Sorsogon by developing functional literacy, women empowerment, technical skills, agri-economic methods, social development, financial literacy, and rural infrastructure, while investing in local resources and forging partnerships with local, national, and global stakeholders.
Through its Component Project: Functional Literacy and Children’s Development (FLCD), the university will develop and implement project proposals for training and support services in Sitio Quirino Taas, ensuring active participation from student and faculty extensionists in delivering these initiatives. They will provide learning opportunities through tutorials and mentoring, organize quarterly evaluations for continuous improvement through dialogues and other feedback mechanisms, and other related activities.
During the ceremonial MOA signing, SUC President III, Dr. Geraldine F. De Jesus, representing SorSU, and Dr. William E. Gando, CESO VI, Schools Division Superintendent of DepEd Sorsogon City, reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration through their respective messages. (SorSU PIO)
