‘Bakwits’ to be given emergency classes

SOME sixty displaced Tagtabulon tribe learners from Camansi, Lagonglong Misamis Oriental will be given special emergency classes beginning on June 25 until authorities decide to send them back to their community.

The initiative from the Department of Education Northern Mindanao (DepEd 10) is aimed at continuing the students’ education despite their having fled from their villages following clashes between the communists and the military.

At the formal opening of the project on Friday, June 15, Regional Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Rowena H. Paraon said the program entails free and regular campsite classes or the holding of classes from preschool, elementary, secondary to senior high in front of the Provincial Capitol where the evacuees have set up their tents.

A total of 38 teachers, from the different municipalities of Misamis Oriental have been assigned to teach the children.

Paraon clarified that the number of hired teachers was intended to smoothly cover the different yet daily class schedules of DepEd 10’s program.

“Ngano naa ta’y 38 ka teachers, pero 60 ra ka mga learners? Tungod kay lain-lain man na sila nga adlaw, lain-lain pud nga mga level (Why do we have 38 teachers and only 60 learners? That’s because they are on different schedules, different levels),” she said.

The Alternative Learning System is also a component of the holistic framework of the project. The DepEd program offers Basic Literacy Program and ALS cum Livelihood Programs such as ‘Nito’ making, Rag making and Food Processing training for the non-learners’ section of the IDPs.

“ALS caters sa atong [IDPs] mga non-readers, kay based on our mapping, migawas nga daghan sila diari. Mao nga Basic Literacy Program ang ato ihatag sa ilaha kay naa tay mga ginikanan nga wala nakahuman ug elementarya ug sekondarya mao na nga tagaan sab nato sila ug chance nga mahuman sila ug kung mahuman ang atong program (ALS caters to the IDPs that are non-readers. Based on our mapping, many here need the Basic Literacy Program. Many of the parents here are not elementary or high school graduates),” shared Cheryl Ubalde, ALS - Educational Program Specialists.

DepEd Northern Mindanao was also looking forward that the IDPs would see the program in a brighter picture.

“Sa ilahang mga panginahanglanun karun, kung atong hisgutan ang edukasyon, makatabang gyud ni nga serbisyo sa mga bakwit, ilabi na sa mga igsoon nato nga miapil sa Alternative Learning System isip suporta sa ilahang mga pohun nga panginahanglanon paagi sa pagtukod ug business (Education is a need that will certainly help the evacuees, especially the ALS which will support those who will go into business)," Paraon said. (Lyne Grace Vergara/MSU-Marawi Intern)