SUGPAT-ALSPA
holds first FGD in Dulian
Last March 23, ACCA-SUGPAT inaugurated its
first focus group discussion (FGD) in Barangay Dulian to determine the
educational needs of out-of-school-youths enrolled in the Alternative Learning
System (ALS).
Attended by 14 ALS learners from the ALS
center of Brgy. Dulian and 16 parents and guardians, the FGD focused on
assessing subject matter interests among the OSYs to help in the formulation of
the curriculum for the SUGPAT Alternative School for Peacebuilding and the Arts
(SUGPAT-ALSPA).
“We don’t want to design an alternative
school that is too withdrawn from what the communities really need,” explained
Rogin Eribal, program officer and education specialist of ACCA-SUGPAT, on the
importance of holding these FGDs in the priority barangays.
Eribal added that the need for this FGD is
to make sure the SUGPAT-ALSPA provides the authentic learning experience to its
learners, considering their skills and their vision for their community.
Preliminary analysis of the results of one
group show a heavy interest in connectivity among the 21st century
skills presented. There was also a desire for the youth to engage in
technologies that allow them to communicate with other people from across the
globe.
Erica Marie Francisco, one of the
documenters of the FGD, felt that those interviewed were very participative in
giving their personal insights during the session.
“It was the interest and eagerness that they
were showing which made us connect with them on a very personal level,”
Francisco said.
The session was made possible through the
support of Hon. Leon Tabuena, the Brgy. Captain of Dulian, Upper Bungiao, Mrs.
Mildred Valesco-Aguilar, District ALS Coordinator of the Department of
Education, and Mrs. Welma Omboy, program officer of AdZU’s Social Awareness and
Community Services Involvement (SACSI).
This FGD is part of a series of sessions
that ACCA-SUGPAT aims to hold in the next couple of months to strengthen
preparations for its third implementation of the program this year.
The SUGPAT Adolescent
Development and Participation program is a flagship program of the Ateneo de
Zamboanga’s Center for Culture and the Arts supported by UNICEF Philippines.
Val Amiel Vestil / Ateneo Center for Culture and Arts
