The Oriental Negros government, Department of Education and McDonald's Charities have pooled their resources to provide Grade 1 pupils in selected public schools in Oriental Negros a system to easily learn to read under the Bright Minds Read program.

Developed by McDonald's Charities and the DepEd in 2003, the program is now brought to some 67 public elementary schools in the province.

Negros Oriental Schools Division Supt. Aleli Abne said, most of the schools selected to benefit from the program are located in the hinterland barangays.

Abne said the teachers who underwent training for the implementation of the program were very pleased and confident that it will help a lot in enhancing the pupils' reading ability.
Cerwin Eviota of McDonald's Charities at a press conference after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on the program Monday said, the teachers will be provided with a BMR kit containing 32 teacher training modules, 32 illustrated English and Filipino big books promoting Filipino values and 200 worksheets, designed to enhance beginning reading skills. Eviota said the program proved great success in areas it is being implemented.

Judging from the reactions of the teachers after their training few days ago, Gov. George Arnaiz said the program is envisioned to help Grade l pupils improve their reading capability.

He said the provincial government, through the provincial local school board had allocated P485,000 for the program this year.

The program was brought to the province through Alex Escaño, president of the Meralco Foundation which is closed to McDonald's Charities. Escaño hails from Dumaguete, and brother of Provincial Board Member Mariant-Esacaño Villegas.*

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