MANILA, Philippines — Believing that no
child needs to be in the streets, the Department of Education (DepEd) on
Saturday launched a campaign to deliver educational services to street children
and out-of-school-youth (OSYs) to entice them to return to school.
The “K4” Outreach Program is DepEd’s version
of Dynamic Teen Company’s (DTC) “Kariton Klasrum” program which has been very
successful in encouraging over 200 street children to go back to mainstream
schooling not only in Cavite City—where it originally started — but also in
other areas in the country.
The project was conceptualized in
collaboration with 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida Jr.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the
DepEd decided to adopt DTC’s program because it is “our ultimate goal to
identify the best intervention for them [street children and out-of-school
youth] and help them continue learning despite their situation.”
The program also aims “to bring a holistic
learning experience for those who cannot go to school through providing an
alternative classroom, healthcare and feeding,” Luistro added.
According to Peñaflorida, the K4 program will
use the “K4 system”— Kariton (pushcart) as a Klasrum (classroom), Klinik
(clinic) and Kantin (canteen)—originally developed and implemented by DTC for
the past 23 years.
“Our approach and program is very simple,”
Peñaflorida said. “We just want to help kids on the streets in the hopes of
making significant difference in their lives, particularly the small children
in slum areas who have no access to education, basic hygiene and sometimes,
even love from their families.”
Peñaflorida also stressed that the K4 is not
tailored to replace formal schooling. “What we want is for the children and
youth in our streets to continue learning, appreciate it and hopefully, this
will encourage them to go back to formal schooling,” he said.
The program will also tap other agencies like
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Council for the
Welfare of Children (CWC), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA),
Child Hope Asia, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA),
and Philippine National Police (PNP).
“As such, it will carry with it educational
materials, a simple medical care kit and food to be shared to the learners
after the learning session,” Luistro said.
In its initial phase, the K4 is expected to
roll out in barangays in the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Quezon and Pasig and
will target street children with ages five to 15.
To show their commitment to the program, DSWD
Secretary Corazon Soliman, CWC Executive Director Brenda Vigo, MMDA Deputy
Chairman Alex Ramon Cabanilla, Child Hope Asia Street Children Education
Program Supervisor Helen Quinto, TESDA District Director- Camanava Elpidio
Mamaril, Jr. and National Capital Region Police Office Police Senior
Superintendent Maria Asuncion Placino attended the grand launching of the
program at Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Complex on Meralco Ave., Pasig City.
In June last year, Luistro asked Peñaflorida
to help draw a general plan in developing alternative delivery modes and
systems to ensure continuous learning.
INA HERNANDO-MALIPOT
MB.com
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