DIPOLOG CITY, June 15 (PIA) - A memorandum of agreement was recently signed between the Department of Science and Technology, through its Provincial Science and Technology Office-Zamboanga del Norte (PSTO-ZDN) and the Department of Education-Zamboanga del Norte Schools Division Office (DepEd-SDO) for the project entitled "Deployment of STARBOOKS to Provide Access to S&T Information to Rural Schools in Zamboanga del Norte" held at a local hotel here.

 
The project will fund the deployment of 16 units STARBOOKS kiosks to selected schools in the province. It is funded under DOST's Grants-in-Aid (GIA) program with total cost amounting to Php1,181,600.00.
 
The project aims to provide access to S&T information to students and teachers of the identified school beneficiaries in Zamboanga del Norte which will eventually result to an increase in the number of Filipinos enrolling in S&T courses, encourage great and curious minds to develop new ideas through inventions and innovations, and inspire one's capacity for entrepreneurship and research.

STARBOOKS is a library-in-a-box for students in elementary, high school, and college levels, as well as researchers. It is a unique educational software containing thousands of science and technology information installed in desktop computers and housed in an attractively designed pod or kiosk.
 
The DOST’s GIA program aims to harness the country’s scientific and technological capabilities to spur and attain a sustainable economic growth and development. Through the funding of relevant science and technology (S&T) undertakings, the GIA program aims to contribute to productivity improvement and quality of life of Filipinos by generating and promoting appropriate technologies.

DOST-9 was represented by PSTO-ZDN Director Nuhman M. Aljani and DepEd-SDO was represented by it Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Roy C. Tuballa. Mr. Mickrel C. Duller, science supervisor together with some officials of the DepEd-SDO and PSTO-ZDN witnessed the MOA signing. (NBE/EDT/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte/with reports from DOST Regional Office IX)