NIGHT CLASS. Students enrolled in a night class at the Alangalang Night High School in Leyte. The class is for working learners. (Photo courtesy of Alangalang Night High School)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Education (DepEd) has asked mayors to help in its campaign to encourage young learners who have dropped out this school year to continue their studies.
DepEd Leyte schools division superintendent Mariza Magan made the appeal to the League of Municipalities in the Philippines Leyte chapter through its president, Palo town Mayor Remedios Petilla, during the stakeholder’s meeting on Wednesday.
Records showed that a total of 383,515 learners signed up before the start of the school year, but only 377,631 are currently attending classes.
Magan said these students need to find jobs to support their families, as one of the most common reasons for dropping out of school. Others include lack of interest, poverty, transfer of residence, and family problems.
“Let us look into our own municipality if there are children and teens who have not completed basic education. Maybe we can have another way of giving a mode of instruction for them to earn a high school diploma,” Magan said.
She added that opening night classes in secondary schools could address the problem of school dropouts.
Of the 40 towns in the province of Leyte, Alangalang town is the only area with night classes with 56 enrollees.
“We call on the support of our local government officials to track all these learners who are under school age but not in classrooms,” Magan added.
Aside from child mapping, the DepEd official also suggested that local government units may also implement programs such as provision of assistance to students like providing them school supplies and free transportation to avoid their risk of dropping out. (PNA)
