DepEd Conducts Training of Sabah Alternative Learning Center Volunteer Teachers

Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles C. Jose addresses the teachers-participants during the closing ceremony of the Training of Sabah Alternative Learning Center (ALC) Volunteer Teachers on June 16, 2017 at the Beringgis Resort in Papar, Sabah.

22 June 2017 SABAH – The Department of Education (DepEd) brought another milestone in the Philippine Government’s continuing efforts to address the education needs of undocumented Filipino children in Sabah when it recently conducted a five-day training workshop for volunteer teachers of Filipino community-run alternative learning centers in Sabah from June 12 to 16 June at the Beringgis Resort in Papar, Sabah.

Six education specialists from the DepEd central office and ARMM facilitated the “Training of Sabah Alternative Learning Centers (ALCs) Volunteer Teachers on Reading, Writing, Numeracy, and Occupational Skills.” The workshop was attended by some 60 teacher-participants from five Filipino community-run alternative learning centers -  Stairway to Hope Learning Center, Stairway to Success Learning Center, LTRC Penampang, Vision of Hope Learning Center, and Learning Enrichment Center.

The participants were taught the basics in classroom pedagogies, phonetics, numeracy, teaching strategies, materials development, and classroom management. They were also taught the various ways of utilizing teaching materials for mathematics topics to make the subject more interesting and appealing to students.

In a video message during the opening ceremony, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones welcomed the participants to the training activity, quoting a portion of her June 05 school opening speech: “The Department of Education opens the doors of our schools and learning spaces to 27.7 million Filipino children wherever they are, whoever they and their parents are, and whatever the political or religious belief of their families are, every effort will be made to accommodate them. The statement applies to the estimated 30,000 Filipino children who have no access to education in Sabah, and this is a commitment not only of the Department of Education but also primarily that of the President of the Philippines, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”

Secretary Briones thanked the training-participants and highlighted the spirit of volunteerism that brought them to said learning exercise. She also expressed gratitude to the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur headed by Ambassador Charles C. Jose for the Embassy’s continued assistance and guidance on the DepEd’s initiatives in Sabah.

At the closing ceremony, Ambassador Jose acknowledged and thanked the teacher-participants and ALC project managers for their efforts in educating the undocumented Filipino children in their respective areas despite the difficulties they face. He encouraged the teacher-participants to continue to teach their students the value of education which will help them aspire for better future. Ambassador Jose noted that the current Filipino community-run ALCs only reach some 1,200 of the estimated 30,000 Filipino children in Sabah and expressed hope that there would be more cooperation amongst Filipino community members to support this kind of initiatives.

For more information, visit www.kualalumpurpe.dfa.gov.ph / www.philembassykl.org.my or https://www.facebook.com/PhlembassyKL. END

Ambassador Charles C. Jose with DepEd Representatives and KL PE officers. Standing from left -Third Secretary and Vice Consul Janice Sanchez-Rivera, Ms. Donnalyn Paras, Dr. Ma. Elsie Esmer, Attaché Norren Joy Calip, Mr. Abdurizal Aripin, Mr. Jerry Jimmy, Dr. Rosalina Villaneza, Protocol Officer Rommel Cuisia, Ms. Ligaya Ilagan, Ms. Anglika Jabines. Seated in front - Dir. Marilette Almayda and Amb. Jose.

Ambassador Charles C. Jose with the teachers-participants from Stairway to Hope Learning Center