News

UNESCO Provides Life Skills Training-Workshop for ALS Implementers

UNESCO Jakarta in cooperation with the Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd) and the Knowledge Community conducted a 3-day “Life Skills Training-Workshop on Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy, and Basic Bookkeeping for Alternative Learning System (ALS) Mobile Teachers and District Coordinators” on 10-12 December and 13-15 December 2018, for the first and second batch respectively at Hotel XYZ, Tacloban City, Philippines. This activity was conducted to continuously enhance the capacity of ALS mobile teachers and district coordinators in delivering life skills interventions to the ALS learners particularly among the girls and women.

On behalf of Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative, UNESCO Office, Jakarta, Dr. Mee Young Choi, Head of Education Unit expressed her appreciation to the Philippines’ Department of Education for its continuous cooperation, KOICA for the financial support, and Knowledge Community, Inc. for the collaboration for this activity. She also expressed appreciation to the participants for their efforts and enthusiasm towards the training-workshop. She emphasized that this capacity building initiative is part of the national project “Better Life for Out-of-School Girls to Fight Against Poverty and Injustice in the Philippines” with the financial support of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Furthermore, she added that this national project is linked with the previous UNESCO Project in Tacloban City which supports the rehabilitation in the area after experiencing the devastation of Super Typhoon Haiyan.

On behalf of the Philippines’ Department of Education Regional Office VIII-Eastern Visayas, Dr. Alejandrito Yman, Chief of Curriculum and Learning Management Division conveyed the sincere appreciation of Dr. Ramir Uytico, Regional Director, DepED Regional Office VIII-Eastern Visayas to UNESCO Office, Jakarta, and KOICA for the capacity building initiative for ALS mobile teachers and district coordinators. He highlighted that this capacity building will be able to transform ALS learners specifically girls into a self-sustaining and independent citizen of this country.

The representative of the first batch participants, Mr. Jonel Hinlo, ALS Mobile Teacher, expressed his gratefulness to the organizations for having this one of a kind training. He said that this was his first time to attend a training wherein it leaves a huge impact on him personally as it taught him how to be financially literate. In addition, Ms. Olga Tan, a second batch participant said that the workshop was well organized and the contents were carefully chosen and taught. She further said that with this interesting session, this was the only training she attended which she never sleeps and get bored. Thus, she commits to teaching her learners the concept of saving 20% of the monthly income before spending it as well as living below their means.

A total of 100 ALS implementers participated and benefitted on this capacity building which is from the Schools Division Offices of Leyte and Tacloban City. They all vowed to practice the learnings they acquired and share these new learnings and knowledge to their ALS learners.