Posted on

Goducate in Laguna helps mothers and fathers catch up on schooling

Goducate in Laguna now has 40 students, mostly mothers, registered in its Alternative Learning System (ALS) program. The group consists of 31 mothers, 4 fathers, and 6 youths. One of the fathers is also learning farming at the Goduate model farm. Some of the youths who were attending the program at the start of the year have now gone back to high school.

The ALS is a Philippines Department of Education ladderized, modular, non-formal education program for those who for whatever reason have not completed their school education. There are uniform lesson modules for all academic subjects, and there are two levels—elementary and secondary (high school).

The classes are held twice weekly at the new Goducate office in Laguna, though not all the students are able to attend regularly. In October all the students will be sitting for their exams, 5 at elementary level and 35 at secondary. Naturally all are hoping to pass, but more importantly all believe that an education will help them in their daily lives.

Listening to the teachers
Listening to the teachers
Doing review papers---the two in the bottom left-corner are a husband and wife who will be sitting for the elementary level exam.
Doing review papers—the two in the bottom left-corner are a husband and wife who will be sitting for the elementary level exam.
Posted on

Harvest time at Goducate community farm in Tagumpay

In August last year the torrential rains and thunderstorms, known informally as Typhoon Habagat, displaced the communities around Laguna Bay. The Goducate team in Laguna has been helping to rehabilitate some of the families in Tagumpay through training in livelihood skills. Some of the men learnt agricultural skills at the Goducate Model Farm, while the women learnt skills such as soap and detergent making, decorative handicraft, and sewing.

We were fortunate that a former mayor of Bay generously offered us, for free, 2000 sq m of his land in the district of Tagumpay, to be used as a community farm. Five men who were trained at the Goducate Model Farm helped develop this community farm.

The early part of this year was spent planting. By March the workers were starting to harvest lady’s fingers and some string beans. The bulk of the string beans (79 kg) were harvested in the first 2 weeks of April. have had a good harvest of string beans. Between April 1 and 12, 79 kg of beans were harvested, and what was not used for personal consumption was sold on the market. Pechay will be harvested soon. Leeks and mustard will be planted soon.

By now the people displaced by the severe Habagat floods have left the evacuation centers and are in their own homes, some of which had to be completely rebuilt. The longer-term plan is to use this farm for training others in the community in backyard farming.

03

01

02

04

Posted on

Goducate in Laguna resumes teaching through the Alternative Learning System

The Philippines has an Alternative Learning System (ALS), a non-formal system of elementary and high school education that can be achieved without attending classes in school daily. The ALS enables students to choose their modules and learn at their own pace. It is used by school dropouts, working people, and even senior citizens. Those who pass the appropriate examinations may be able to get back into formal schooling or into college.

In Laguna Province Goducate has been teaching school dropouts through this system. However, for administrative reasons, the program was dropped last year.

This year the program has been resumed, and students will be taught at three centers. One center is the Goducate music studio, and the other two are in somebody’s house. So far 30 students have registered. Most are out-of-school youth but there are 2 mothers (one aged 55) and a father.

Goducate in Laguna now has 7 teachers who are certified to teach through the ALS. The 2 who received their certificates only this year are now at the Goducate Training Center for further training as English language teachers.

Apart from the ALS teaching and the nursery and preparatory grade classes held at the Goducate literacy centers, Goducate also conducts free literacy and numeracy tutorials for unschooled children, as well as tutorials for school-going children who need help to cope with their schoolwork.

ALS class at the music studio; the students 2nd and 3rd from the left are mothers
ALS class at the music studio; the students 2nd and 3rd from the left are mothers
ALS class in somebody's house; the man in the foreground is a father carrying his baby
ALS class in somebody’s house; the man in the foreground is a father carrying his baby