Last Saturday at Department of Education Main Office at Pasig City the launching of "Kariton Klasrum" was held and attended by the founder of Kariton Klasrum Program, Dynamic Teen Company (DTC) and 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida. I met Kuya Ef mid-last year when Golden ABC invited bloggers to volunteer and experience Kariton Klasrum (story HERE). Now the Department of Education spare headed by Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC enriching the program and adapt it also to the chosen district of places like Manila, Pasig, Caloocan and Quezon City to deliver educational services to marginalized urban learners through the K4 Outreach program. This program will employ a novel way of making education and other basic social services accessible to underprivileged children initially to those places.
The K4 ( Kariton Klasrum) program developed by DTC uses kariton (pushcart) as klasrum (classroom), klinik (clinic), and kantin (canteen) to seek out its intended clientele. For that, it will carry educational materials, basic medical care kit and food to be shared to the learners after the learning session. It is specifically for street children aged 5 to 15 particularly those who never attended school or who have dropped out with the aim of reintegrating them into the formal school system.Focusing in three learning areas. First is the values formation that learns good manners and right conduct. Secondly, there will be literacy teachings that will impart daily living skills, perceptual skills, language and mathematics. Finally, a play center that aims to make learning more fun and enjoyable.
Department of Education adopts the K4 learning modality to reach out to street children, out-of-school youth, out-of-school children and school drop-outs delivered through the alternative learning system or alternative delivery modes. Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC said “One of our goals here is for the targeted learners to understand and appreciate learning which they can apply in their own families and to the community”.
Teacher volunteers from their community will man the kariton to teach children using various learning materials until such time that they are ready to be integrated in public schools at a grade level appropriate to their age and skills. For a more formal and better way of learning for them to increase their knowledge and determination in finishing their education. On the other hand, having a healthy way of living will also teach and monitor to the children, like basic hygiene such as hand washing and tooth brushing. Moving away from the usual practice, food will be provided to the learners after attending the three learning areas.
Having this program will not only teach and prepare the children's future but most of all to be a better man for his community and country. I will definitely support this campaign in any way I can and I hope you will too :)).
