ILOILO City – The elementary and high school dropout rate in Western Visayas has increased, according to the Regional Development Council (RDC). Poverty is mainly the culprit. “Even if basic education is free, parents are continuously confronted with daily expenses for fare, food and school projects, among others,” said Antique’s Gov. Rhodora Cadiao, the RDC chairperson.
The school dropout rate in the elementary level increased by 0.50 percent, said Cadiao, and 48.54 percent in the secondary level.
Aside from financial difficulties, another reason is lack of interest in school by the children, she said during RDC’s recent second quarter meeting here.
The Department of Education (DepEd) Western Visayas office confirmed Cadiao’s RDC report.
“The biggest factor is poverty. Students would rather help their parents earn a living to meet their families’ everyday needs than go to school. If this is addressed, we can improve the students’ school attendance,” said OIC assistant regional director Victor De Gracia Jr.
The inaccessibility or far distance of schools from the students’ homes, most especially those in remote villages, is another reason why some have lost interest in attending classes, he added.
‘OBRA ESKWELA’
Also the concurrent school superintendent in Antique, De Gracia said DepEd’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) could address the problem.
ALS is a parallel learning system that provides a practical option to the existing formal instruction. When one does not have or cannot access formal education in schools, ALS is an alternate or substitute. It includes both the non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.
Through ALS, individuals have the chance to have access to and complete basic education in a mode that fits their distinct situations and needs.
De Gracia said he had a concept in mind using the ALS to address the school dropout problem; he called it “Obra Eskwela.”
According to De Gracia, this requires convergence between DepEd and other agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“May mga modules sa ALS nga very flexible. Pwede ma-adjust kon ano ang existing livelihood program sang other agencies,” he said.
“We can partner with them. We will look for out-of-school youths tapos ma-engage sa isa ka project. Bayran sang DOLE ang labor tapos i-provide sang DepEd ang solution sa pag-eskwela nila through ALS. Naga-earn sila at the same time nagaeskwela so indi na sila dropout,” said de Gracia.
TEACHERS’ ROLE
Regarding the students’ lack of interest in going to school, De Gracia said teachers should exert more in motivating their learners.
“Teachers have been taught how to make their lessons more interesting. There are techniques,” he said.
Classrooms supervision should also be improved, added De Gracia.
School principals, superintendents and regional supervisors should see for themselves the situation of teachers inside classrooms, he said, “Para mabal-an kun ano ang sitwasyon kag mabuligan ang mga teachers teach effectively our students.”
Most importantly, De Gracia said, parents and guardians must motivate their children to go to school.
“I-follow-up nila sa balay. Dapat ma-reach out man kanaton nga teachers ang parents nga aware sila kon ano bala sitwasyon sang ila kabataan kag kon ano ang ila mabulig in terms of support,” said De Gracia./PN
