Czech Republic, World Vision donate classroom supplies to ALS students

Alternative Learning System (ALS) students enrolled in Bridge to Employment, a project of Czech Republic Embassy in the Philippines and World Vision, recently receive school materials such as printers with inks, bondpapers, and writing pads among others to help them with their online and module-based studies.

ALS is the Philippine government’s support for out-of-school youth and adult learners to learn basic and functional literacy skills that will provide them opportunities to continue and finish their education.

“Baseco is known as an urban community wherein a lot of people here need help. That’s a challenge that the school is trying to help address. We are glad that we have partners like World Vision and Czech Embassy in the Philippines that help our students and communities here,” says Manolo Pena, Principal, President Corazon Aquino National High School. He further encouraged students to continue their education so they can have a better life.

“We are supporting the youth in Baseco because we believe that they have the skills to improve their lives if proper education is provided,” says Yana Peterkova, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Czech Republic in the Philippines, said.

The Embassy of Czech Republic in the Philippines currently supports 80 students through the BTE project which assists out-of-school youths and young adults to continue their education through ALS and TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) courses and eventually land them a job later on.

Diane Lara, World Vision’s Bridge to Employment Project Coordinator, confirms that indeed there are lots of youths in Baseco that are willing to continue their study if given the chance to study again. “Students enrolled in our project are very hardworking. Some would attend their classes while taking care of their babies; some would finish their lessons before going out to sell food on the streets. These are individuals who discontinued their education due to financial and family problems and saw our project as an opportunity to continue studying again.”

The Department of Education expressed concern last year that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected around 4 million out-of-school youth who may not be able to continue their study due to lack of readiness to adapt online and blended system of learning. The Department called on different organizations and government agencies to help these youth learn even outside the formal school set-up.

To help the Department of Education, the Embassy of Czech Republic in the Philippines and World Vision launched Bridge to Employment last year that assists youth and young adults in some of their school needs. World Vision also continues to partner with the Department of Education for its Brigada Pagbasa program which promotes literacy through reading among young children.