Editorial

BAL’s Success Hinges 

On Community Supports

by Ernesto T. Solidum

A forum on BALS advocacy DepEd program was launched on December 26, 2012 in Numancia, Aklan to promote consciousness and awareness among public officials and the community on the need to stomp out illiteracy. The Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS), DepEd headed by Dr. Dobbie P. Parohinog, Education Supervisor, Aklan spearheads the implementation of the program.

Dr. Parohinog revealed BALS is created by virtue of E.O. No. 856 signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to address the alarming school dropouts of 79 percent who can’t go to high school because of poverty, absence of school facility, and other causes. The Basic Education Act of RA 2155 provides for compulsory and free education to school age youth jibing with the United Nations (UN) resolution, Education For All (EFA) by 2015.

Dr. Jesse M. Gomez, Schools Division Superintendent underscored that all 19 School Districts in Aklan have BALS Coordinators with 16 Mobile Teachers. The main thrust of the program is to standardize the delivery of basic education services, remove discrimination based on age, sex, color, creed and to provide access to employment. For this reason, DepEd is soliciting the support of Municipal Mayors, government agencies and NGO’s. Upon completion of the alternative delivery module or in one year, the students are given the Accreditation and Equivalency Test (A&E). The current data among examinees is a passing score of 65.4 percent out of a total of 1,288. They are certified qualified to enroll in high school or college.

Atty. Allen S. Quimpo called DepEd Coordinators and Facilitators as unsung heroes alluding to Mr. Efren Peñaflorida’s feat as “kariton” educator of street children. As co-author of ALS in Congress, Quimpo considers the six (6) million school dropouts or 17 percent of the pupil population as wasted human resources. Presently, our Human Capital Index is 152 which must be remedied by providing good access to education. There is the Gaspe Law which allows participating secondary schools to enroll students based on service contracting as part of its private initiative like the Maragtas Learning Foundation in Kalibo which he founded and has already graduated 105, the majority of whom belongs to underprivileged families. There should be resolute decision for the government to allocate more funds for non formal education so our less fortunate youths can be able to read and write in their native tongue, Filipino or English the Northwestern Visayan Colleges president Allen S. Quimpo pointed out.

Engr. Paul Erwin Sarabia, STI Administrator stressed that only education gives the youths a level playing field to improve their way of life in society. They must be empowered to face the reality of life and to become responsible citizens. Sarabia noted that significant numbers of criminal offenders are out of school youths and jobless. Based on data, STI has six (6) BALS graduates who took up IT, Computer Engineering, Hotel and Restaurant Services. For SY 2010-2011, STI has graduated 2,905 students, the majority of them is now fully employed said the Administrator. 

Some 70 participants, mainly public officially, attended the whole day project launching who are: coordinators, mobile teachers and NGO’s. Other speakers who gave education/info about their agency’s commitment to the program are Ms. Vivian R. Solano, Public Service Officer and Mr. Peter S. Mangilog, District Statistics Officer, NSO. /MP