BAGUIO CITY, Aug. 8 (PIA) - - The National Nutrition Council awarded certificates of completion to the first batch of graduates of the Nutrition-School-on-the-Air (NSOA) program at Hotel Supreme last  Saturday (Aug. 5).

Belen Caday-as of Lubo, Kibungan Benguet was the class most excellent with a score of 55 over 60.

A collaborative effort with media partners composing the Cordillera Administrative Region - Media Educators on Nutrition (CARMENu), NSOA was implemented in partnership with the Mountain Province Broadcasting Corporation’s DZWT 540 – Radyo Totoo.

The NSOA program   was participated by 315 individuals including graduates and their family members from Baguio City, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan. They   registered last May and completed and passed the minimum score required after 12 sessions (once a week broadcast lesson) from May 4 to July 20 with the quizzes answer sent through SMS (short messaging service).

The youngest participant was nine- year old Ashmere Pongdad of Bahong, La Trinidad, Benguet while the oldest was Lolita Borja, 71, from Aurora Hill, Baguio City.

“The aim of the NSOA is to promote nutrition in places that we barely reach especially the rural areas to give them knowledge and educate them on how they can be more healthy,” Program adviser and DZWT radio anchor Rose Malekchan said.

“We monitored their answers through text line.  After the learning session, I will be reading questions and they will be sending me their answers through text messages, and we have records to check and supervise their scores” added Malekchan.

NNC-Cordillera Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Rita Papey encouraged the NSOA graduates to apply what they have learned in their daily life and to share to others.

“We hope that they can use what they have learned from NSOA and impart also the knowledge to others to ensure a well - nourished and healthy communities,” Papey said. (JDP/CCD/ C. Valencia and A. Depalog-PIA CAR/UC Interns)