Reading and Mathematics Camp for incoming Grade 3 and 6 students, training for new Alternative Learning System (ALS) instructional managers (IM) and creating the Valenzuela City Street Soccer League for incoming Grade 2 and Grade 5 students – these comprise the holistic approach of the City Government of Valenzuela, through its flagship Galing Pook-awarded Education 360 Degrees Investment Program, to promote exclusive and inclusive collaborative learning among its youth. 

Helping Elementary Pupils Ace in Math and Reading

 

On May 2, the city government kicked off the annual 20-day Reading and Mathematics Camp for incoming Grade 3 and 6 students. The reading camp was first introduced in 2014 while the Mathematics Camp is the newest addition to the holistic approach to address evolving issues in local education. The program, which aims to curb illiteracy in the city, targets zero per cent non-readers in the opening of classes this June.

 

The math component, on the other hand, was started to inspire students to ace the subject in the National Achievement Test (NAT) and also to prepare probable students in the city’s frontline high school, the Valenzuela School of Mathematics and Science, later on.

 

The 13,101 participants are each provided with modules and other school supplies, and as an incentive, Jollibee gift certificates await those who will perfect their attendance for 20 days.

 

Prior to the kick-off of the reading and math camps, 490 Department of Education (DepEd) teachers and 1,281 teacher-aide students from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV) received a three-day training, with the help of Synergeia Foundation, to further strengthen their knowledge and capacity in helping the identified frustrated readers and math learners from the various city public schools. 

Strengthening Potentials of Out-of-School Youth, Children and Adults

 

To achieve the City’s steadfast goal of providing inclusive education the ALS program is continually being enhanced. Some 38 newly-hired instructional managers (IMs) recently underwent a five-day training on Entrepreneurship, and Literacy for Empowerment (LIFE) Modules developed by the City Government of Valenzuela and the Synergeia Foundation exclusively for Valenzuelano learners.  With the new additional 38 IMs, the number of IMs in Valenzuela now totals to 61.  

 

The 2016 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) has listed a total of 3,053 Out-of-School Youth (OSY) in Valenzuela City.  In November 2016 through the “Katok Para sa Magandang Bukas” or Project Tokbuk, city officials and representatives from the Division of City Schools-Valenzuela, with the help of the barangay officials and community volunteers, scoured the neighborhoods to find the ones on the list, resulting to identification of some 2,599 OSYs for enrolment.

 

On May 23, enroled learners received their bags with notebooks, pad papers, pens and pencils inside. Classes started promptly on the following day.  The city government also sponsored the printing of some 530 titles of DepEd ALS modules, including the city’s Entrepreneurship, and Literacy for Empowerment (LIFE) at two copies each for the 55 community learning centers.  With all the support, the city government hopes to encourage more out-of-school individuals to return to the formal education and aim for a better future.

Promoting Core Moral Values through Street Soccer

 

In addition to the inclusive education programs of the city, the local government has partnered with the Laos Football Club (Laos FC) to come up with the first ever street soccer league in the city.  Laos FC is a professional Filipino football club based in Tacloban, Leyte, and is currently playing in the United Football League (UFL).  Laos FC trained the teachers who now handles the sessions with the students.

 

Spearheaded by Councilors Rovin Feliciano (District 1) and Kristian Rome “Tyson” Sy (District 2), in collaboration with DepEd-Valenzuela, the street soccer league aims to link sports skills with values and at the same time provide the students with developmental form of recreation together with their parents.  The City also aims to create its own soccer team that can compete at tournaments nationwide or even worldwide.

 

This latest project of the city government will cater to the incoming grade 2 and 5 pupils. The program will run for 15 sessions including the four (4) sets of friendly competitions among the student-players. The kick-off rally for the grade 2 pupils was held last April 27 while the kick-off for grade 5 was held on May 2.

 

These programs are part of the goal of the city government, under the leadership of Mayor REX Gatchalian, to mould Valenzuelano public school graduates who are confident and equipped with the right tools to compete head on with graduates of exclusive private schools and universities.