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Sometimes it’s necessary to bring the school to the kids.
“Some 106 mobile classrooms known as ‘Kariton Klasrums’ will be deployed in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Tacloban City for the benefit of around 5,300 street children and other out-of-school youth,” reports Janvic Mateo in The Philippine Star.
The report noted: “The Department of Education (DepEd) alternative mode of learning is patterned after the pushcart classroom Efren Peñaflorida Jr., who was hailed as CNN Hero of the Year in 2009.”
DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said the kariton klasrum program will allow children unable to enroll in the formal education system access to basic education. He stated, “Children should not be required to adjust to our system of education. It is the system of education that should address their needs. (Sometimes) we need to reverse the system and bring the schools to them.”
DepEd Undersecretary for Programs and Linkages Mario Deriquito said the project “aims to prepare beneficiaries for integration into regular elementary and high schools.” He pointed out that “participants in the program will be assessed for readiness to join the public school system after six months.”
Deriquito then added that “each mobile classroom will be stocked with learners’ and teachers’ kits, health packs, books, educational reading materials and charts, as well as meals good for 50 children.”
Photo: Efren Peñaflorida Jr. (Twitter)
