Dagupan aims zero out-of-school youths
THE Fernandez administration is optimistic that it can achieve its target zero out-of-school youth (OSY) by 2016 as one of the five pilot areas of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) ‘Abot-Alam’ program.
The new prospects for the OSY were discussed during the Abot- Alam Stakeholders Assembly held last week.
‘Abot-Alam’ is a program of the national government that envisions zero out-of-school youth in the country by 2016 by providing them with free education via non-formal short courses, livelihood and vocational skills.
Dr. Lourdes Servito, assistant schools division superintendent, said OSYs can opt to go to school through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) or seek employment after being trained.
Fernandez said DepEd’s ‘Abot-Alam’ Program in Dagupan is timely because her administration is set to expand Dagupan’s business district starting next year with new growth centers in Bonuan Gueset, Caranglaan-Tebeng and Pantal-Lucao.
With the new growth centers, she said she expects a greater demand for service and skilled workers, positions that can be filled by out-of-school youths who will be trained through ‘Abot-Alam.’
She suggested to Dagupan DepEd Superintendent Gloria Torres to designate some city schools for night classes for OSYs and to allocate budget under the special education fund to cover salaries for the night classes.
To compliment the city school’s efforts, the mayor said she will also recommend to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to bring its Mobile Training Program to the city.
Other government and non-government agencies represented in the assembly were the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Anti-Poverty Commission, Akbayan Partylist and National Youth Commission (NYC). (Hilda M.Austria/CIO-Leziel C. Aquino)
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