Assure a Child the Right Education

By: (SGD) Shirley G. Hampac, D. R. Dev.

1. Introduction Education promises a good life. For the poor families, education is the best legacy they can provide with their children as an instrument for a brighter tomorrow. Malcolm X states that “education is the passport for the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” Acknowledging this adage, the government has offered free tuition fees in all levels of education. However, because of poverty, many families could not send their children to school since the latter need other school requirements like supplies, school uniforms, and other assistance to complete what are needed for school which their parents could hardly provide. Incomplete school supplies or materials makes students feel inferior or some would even stop schooling. For some, they do not care about making absences. Another constraint why there are children who cannot finish their education, is the lack of motivation either from within themselves or from the outside factors. In partnership with community from the grassroots, CES office has found out that there are children whose parents parents fail to visit their children’s school to meet their advisers as a way of monitoring their children’s performance. There are also parents who do not support their children in doing their school assignment. In consequence, children are not well-motivated to Peer influence may either be bad or good. There are peers who may influence other students to quit schooling in favor of doing economic work which eventually causes students to drop from school. Then, they become potential drop-out These foregoing statements are difficulties that children encounter leading to children’s failure to complete their education in elementary, secondary or in higher education. Thus, the “Assure a Child the Right Education “ (ACRE) was implemented.

2. Implementation of the Practice To achieve the objectives of the project, the following activities wee carried out:

1.  Many of the student beneficiaries have graduated in college

2. Impact evaluation reveals that the parents are happy to note that their children are provided with sufficient school supplies and other materials.

3. Family’s expenses on children’s education were reduced.

4. Lessened worries on the part of the parents in securing their children’s school needs

5. There is improvement in students’ attitude towards their studies and in their grades in school.

6. There is a feeling of being privileged among the student beneficiaries having availed of the program

7. Student beneficiaries have strengthened their emotional health

3.Results of the Practice/Program (Outputs and Outcomes)

a. Identification of beneficiaries coming from indigent families especially children and youth considered as potential drop out and late enrollees.

b. Orientation of parents and children beneficiaries

c. Organizing of parents, children and youth

d. Provision of school supplies, uniforms, bags, miscellaneous and graduation assistance

e. Livelihood training /projects for parents

f. Leadership and values education training for children and youth

g. Children’s rights and responsibilities and Anti-bullying seminars/fora

h. Fora on environment and gender and development

i. Provision of review classes in Math, Science and English (only for elem and high school levels)

j. Monitoring of children’s school performance

k. Establishing partnership with an NGO which has a similar program objectives for strengthening and sustainability

4. Lessons Learnt

1. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are needed for children /youth to pursue their dreams to finish education.

2. Regular monitoring plays a big role for the project to be sustained.

3. More hands and heads are needed for a quality output.

4. Networking and collaboration help a lot for the initiative to be sustainable

5. Conclusions

1. The practice boasts the JA-CES program sustainability

2. The practice has helped families and student beneficiaries complete their college education

3. The program helps at least 126 families annually through a holistic approaches

4. Those who are planning to adopt this program must consider organizing the sectors so that when health issue such as COVID pandemic comes, there are key people from the grassroots who can be trusted upon as partners in implementing the program despite limitations.