DepEd – DTC Teamed Up in “Kariton”

            The Department of Education (DepEd) is adopting the K4 learning program to reach out street children, out-of-school youth, and school drop-outs delivered through the alternative learning system.

            DepEd has teamed up with the Dynamic Teen Company (DTC) under the stewardship of CNN Hero of the Year 2009 Efren Peñaflorida to scale up his “kariton” education model for mobile delivery of education services to out-of-school youth in depressed urban areas in the country.

            Initially, the K4 program will implement the “kariton” delivery style developed by Peñaflorida which made him to be chosen as the CNN Hero of the year 2009.

            Education Secretary Armin Luistro said in the launching ceremonies of the program recently, “we say out of the box because it employs a novel way of making education and other basic social services accessible to underprivileged children initially in the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan and Pasig.

            K4 program which was initiated and developed by Dynamic Teen Company, utilized “kariton” (pushcart) as “klasrum” (classroom), “klinik” (clinic), and “kantin” (canteen) to look for its intended clientele. In relation to these as its educational materials, a simple kit containing medical care and food are to be shared to the  “pupils” right after the learning session.

            Targets of the program are street children whose ages range from 5 to 15 year-old, most specifically those who never attended school or who have dropped out with the objective of reintegrating them into the formal school system.

            The program focus on the learning areas which are: 1) values formation which includes good manners and right conduct; 2) literary classes which teach daily living skills, language and mathematics; & 3) a play center to make learning enjoyable.

            “One of our goals here is for the learners to understand and appreciate learning which  they can apply in their own families and to the community,” Secretary Luistro stressed.

            Volunteer teachers  will be manning the “kariton” in teaching children using various learning tools until such time that they are ready to be integrated in public schools at a grade level appropriate to their age And skills. Health of the participant learners will also be monitored, like basic hygiene such as right washing of their hands and brushing of their teeth. After they have attended the three learning areas, food will be provided to them. # ANT