Two public senior high schools in Palawan received tools and equipment that can be used to teach solar electrification installation and maintenance from Project Renewable Energy for Livelihood and Youth (RELY), an endeavor funded by the European Union (EU).
The Palawan National School (PNS) and the Roxas Comprehensive High School (RCHS) are the partner institutions that will support the off-grid public schools in Palawan that will be energized through solar energy under Project RELY. Project RELY is being implemented by international development NGO sequa, Vivant Foundation and PROCESS-Bohol, an NGO involved in community development.
“The assistance from RELY will help Puerto Princesa maintain its position as a carbon-neutral city and supports Palawan’s efforts to achieve sustainable development,” Vivant Foundation Inc. executive director Shem Jose Garcia said.
Project RELY, which aims to promote use of renewable energy to improve lives and foster climate change mitigation in poor and remote communities by energizing 16 off-grid public schools in Palawan, Cebu and Bohol. The approach combines solar electrification with community development and improved vocational education by collaborating with partner senior high schools.
PNS and RCHS are among the five partner senior high schools whose students will benefit from the improved vocational education, which was enhanced by adding solar technology into the existing Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) curriculum in senior high school. The assistance also included training EIM teachers in the partner senior high schools on basic solar energy installation and maintenance.
EIM-Solar students of PNS and RCHS will be the ones conducting maintenance at the off-grid schools to be energized under RELY as part of their education: New Canipo Elementary School and New Canipo National High School, San Vicente; Old Caruray Elementary School and Caruray National High School, San Vicente; New Panggangan Elementary School and Marufinas Elementary School, both in Puerto Princesa City.
“We are thankful to the European Union for this grant that gives us the opportunity to implement a project that will contribute to a better future for poor and remote communities in these three Philippine provinces,” said Project RELY Project Director Sabine Schacknat.
The EU has allotted 2.2 million Euros (P120 million) for Project RELY, one of seven awardees of the EU-Access to Sustainable Energy Programme.