Category: Livelihood Training

One of the programs that Goducate offers in the Philippiines to out-of-school youth and others who have been unable to finish their schooling is training in the Philippines Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (ALS). Those who pass the ALS examination at the secondary level are eligible to apply for entrance to institutions of tertiary education. Some members of Goducate staff in Laguna are accredited ALS instructional managers (teachers).

13 ALS students began in January this year to prepare in earnest for the exams held in April. They met for review classes for 4 hours every Sunday afternoon at the Goducate Training Center in Laguna. Of these 6 sat for the examination.

6 of these students sat for the examination in April, and 3 of them passed, 1 at the elementary level and 2 at the secondary, a pass rate similar to that in the town of Bay (where Goducate Laguna is based). There, 7 took the examination at the elementary level, and 2 passed; and at the secondary level, 52 took the examination, and 27 passed

One of the students who passed was Manuel, a 29-year-old Goducate staff member. He could not complete his schooling because he had got into trouble with the law. He is now enrolled in a TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) course in Practical Nursing. As part of this course, he led a Moringa and Health Seminar for students and their parents at an elementary school (see blog, July 22).

On Sept 6, 2016, a staff member of Goducate in Laguna province of the Philippines taught hydroponics to the staff and to 105 students of Puypuy Elementary School. Pupuy is a district in the municipality of Bay in Laguna. The students were attending Grades 5 and 6.

The aim is to encourage the community to backyard farming, so that they instead of having to buy vegetables, they can just eat what they grow at home. With hydroponics, only a small amount of soil is needed, and the plants do not need as much sunlight as usual. Moreover, the method does not require much space, and can be learnt by children at an early age.

During the session at Puypuy Elementary school, both staff and students learnt how to plant spring onions and “pechay” (a variety of Chinese cabbage).

“Fun” isn’t really the first word one would associate with Citizen Army Training (CAT)—except when it is for the students of Bacolod City National High School. At that school, the program will now be more than just the training under military-style discipline. The new program teaches how to build character, how to forge strong friendships, how to be community leaders (primarily at home and in school), and how to address community concerns. It also aims to build the emotional and moral well-being of the students. The methods include problem identification, teamwork, solution application, and evaluation.

The new program, a partnership between Goducate and the school, kicked off early the school year on July 11. It is designed for the grade 10 students (in their 4th year of high school), and will continue till the end of the school year in March 2017. Around 600 of the over 700 students have been assigned to.Goducate. These students, grouped into 19 sections (of 30 students each), meet up with Goducate facilitators once a month

Through this program, we aim to make the youth become an active and aggressive force in providing solutions to problems in the community even at their young age.

*Our guest writer is Jeru Samilo, Coordinator of Goducate Training Center in Iloilo