PURSUER OF DREAMS

ARIES DEXTER LIBRANDO BANSIL

The Department of Education (Deped), through the Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD), recently launched the ALS-K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum.

The launch ensures that the Alternative Learning System (ALS) curriculum is aligned with the K to 12 Program, and to provide learning opportunities that will empower out-of-school youth (OSY) and adult learners to improve their quality of life and become more effective contributors to society,

According to the report found in the official webpage of DepEd, www.deped.gov.ph, like the K to 12 Curriculum, the ALS-K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum is expressed in content standards, performance standards, and learning competencies. It also defines the minimum competency standards for learners an alternative pathway of learning and certification parallel to the formal school system.

The DepEd underscored the importance to adjust the previous ALS curriculum that would help dispel notions of disparity between ALS graduates and graduates from the formal system, adding the department is true to its mandate that no learner [will be] left behind.

The ALS curriculum reflects the set of knowledge, skills, and competencies that learners should develop to meet the minimum requirement of basic education and is comparable to the formal school curriculum. The curriculum includes both the formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.

ALS is not an “inferior” curriculum because the new curriculum gives equivalency options and alternative programs similar to formal schooling, such that a learner can move and transfer seamlessly from one education system to another. This scenario illustrates the scheme: a learner can have formal education from Kindergarten to Grade 3, then shift to non-formal education for Grades 5 to 6, and reintegrate seamlessly into the formal system for Junior High School (JHS) because the essential skills are covered by both curricula.

Although the framework is organized in strands, the intention is that instruction should be created around topics of importance to learners. This is the basic difference between the K to 12 Curriculum and the ALS Curriculum. The topics should provide an opportunity for the integration of skills.

With this new curriculum, DepEd hopes that the ALS learners would have the same quality of education that would avail them of the four exits of K to 12: higher education, employment, entrepreneurship, or middle-level skills development.

— oOo— The author is Teacher I (MAPEH) at Sta. Tereza 2nd High School, Lubao, Pampanga

GEROME G. TONGOL

As we embark our journey towards success, we will undergo process of understanding ourselves deeper, knowing who we really are and accepting what we are not. Through this, we are heading forward to the key towards self awareness. There are some dreams that make us feel proud and ashamed at the same time and if your dream is both terrifying and amazing, it excites you at the same time it makes your nerve wracking, and then you should definitely pursue it.

You don’t need to listen to others have to say, you don’t need their approvals, what matters most is how you see yourself. Because if you will consider them then you will end up upset so don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams, who failed in his life, talk you out of yours like you will have the same fate like them. As the saying goes, chase your passion like it’s the last bus of the night. This strikes to me so much as I remember what Nelson Mandela once said “There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” You should have a life that is a good life, a meaningful life and an abundant life.

Never try to compare yourself with the accomplishments of others because if you do so, you are insulting yourself. Your chapter 5 is not worth comparing to their chapter 10 in life. Remember that everyone is genius, everyone is capable but, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. Many of us try to measure the ability of a person by his intellectual aspect alone, by his grades in the school wherein that person’s capability and talent does not box on grades in school, He has so much to offer, his skills, talents and more importantly his passion to become successful on his own way. We should build up our own dreams, because if we will not do it for ourselves then someone will hire us to build theirs. Why work for others if we can become boss of our own? Why become a slave of other people if we can become a master of ourselves?

We should be fearless in the pursuit of what sets our souls on fire. Do not kill the burning desires to achieve more and become successful. Knowing what we want is important as it plays an integral role in strengthening our skills and dreams in life. Like what Doe Zantanamata has said, It starts with a dream, add faith, and it becomes a belief, add action, and it becomes a part of life. Add perseverance, and it becomes a goal in sight, add patience and time and it ends with a dream come true.

— oOo— The author is Teacher II at Sto. Rosario High School

REGINA D. QUIAMBAO

”Edukasyon ang tanging kayamanang maipapamana namin ng Tatay nyo sa inyo at edukasyon ay kayamanang di mananakaw ninuman sa inyo.” Iyan ang mga katagang lagging namumutawi sa bibig ng aming ina sa tuwing kami ay pinangangaralan.

Lumaki ako sa isang mahirap na pamilya. Si Nanay na tindera sa isang hardware sa palengke at Grade 6 lang ang natapos at Grade 3 naman si Tatay at isang drayber. Kaya ganun nalang ang masidhing pangaral upang kami ay magpursiging mag-aral ng mabuti,upang makatapos sa pag-aaral at magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan.

Ginawa kong gabay sa aking buhay ang mga pangaral ng aming mga magulang. Mahirap man ngunit kailangang kayanin. Papasok ka sa paaralan na walang laman ang sikmura kundi isang tasang kape at pandesal. Kailangang maagang gumising kundi maiiwan ka ng mga pinsan na kasabay sa paglalakad papuntang paaralan. Pag minalas malas na tinanghali ng gising, mag-isa mong lalakarin ang papunta sa paaralan. Apat na beses na pabalik-balik mula tahanan patungong eskwelahan at sapag-uwi mula sa eskwelahan pauwing tahanan. Ganyan ang araw-araw na senaryo ng buhay ko ng ako’y na sa mataas na paaralan ng Arayat Institute.

Hindi ko inalintana ang init ng araw at ulan dahil gusto kong makapasok sa aking klase at matuto ng bagong kaalaman. Dahil sa kasabikan ng bagong kaalaman, kailangang magbabad sa silid-aklatan dahil sa walang kakayahang makabili ng aklat. Kinakailangan pang mangapi tbahay para makagawa ng takdang-aralin dahil nga sa kawalan ng librong gagamitin.

Iyan ay ilan lamang sa mga pagsubok na dinaanan ko sa pagiging estudyante. May kasabihan nga akong pinanghawakan na “Kapag may tiyaga, may nilaga.” Kung hindi ko hinaluan ng pagtitiyaga ang aking pag-aaral sa tingin ko ay wala ako sa kinalalagyan ko ngayon. Hindi sana ako nakatuntong ng kolehiyo at nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral.

Salamat din sa mga pangaral at pagsisikap ng mga magulang ko na mapagtapos ako ng pag-aaral. Dahil ito ang nagging sandigan at sandata ko upang magtiyaga at magpatuloy sa pag-aaral. Kung hindi dahil sa kanilang mga motibasyon at pangaral, malamang ako’y huminto na sapag-aaral dahil sa kakulangan sa mga pinansyal na bagay. Lagi ring sinasabi ng magulang ko na nakapagbigay din ng lakas ng loob sa akin ay ang mga katagangito, “Hanggat kaya namin, papagtapusin namin kayong magkakapatid dahil wala kaming kayamanang maipapamana sa inyo kundi ang EDUKASYON na magagamit ninyo upang guminhawa ang inyongbuhay.”

Ngayon ko lubusang natanto kung ano ang ibig nilang sabihin. Kaya pala ganun na lamang ang pagpupurisigi nilang maibigay ang edukasyon sa amin dahil ito pala ang magiging susi upang huwag na naming maranasan ang mga paghihirap nila dahil sa kawalan nila ng edukasyon.

Tunay nga na ang edukasyon ay isang mahalagang sangkap sa buhay ng tao, ito ay kayamanang hindi mananakaw pero pwedeng ipamana. Kagaya ng sitwasyon ko at sitwasyon naming magkapatid na edukasyon ang ipinamana sa amin ng aming mga magulang na higit pa sa anumang kayamanan dito s amundo.

At dahil sa pamana ng edukasyon na mayroon ako ngayon ay yumaman ako sa kaalaman at higit sa lahat ito ang nagging susi upang marating ko ang kinalalagyan ko ngayon at matupad ang pangarap na inaasam… ..ang maging isang GURO… — oOo— The author is Teacher II at Anderson Elementary School, Arayat West District