DepEd eyes youth volunteers for literacy

Pasig City (21 August) — The Department of Education is looking for 360 bright and committed youth volunteers who will help the department intensify efforts in improving literacy nationwide.

Called literacy volunteers (LV), these youth will be tasked to assist in the delivery of alternative learning systems (ALS) programs in areas with low literacy rate.

The LVs will cater to the learning needs not only of the adults who cannot read and write but also to out-of-school children (OSC) and out-of-school youth (OSY).

They will offer Basic Literacy Program, which will make learners functionally literate. They will also teach modules on Accreditation and Equivalency Program which will help prepare learners in taking the upcoming A&E exam.

The project is in response to the call of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to create a national service corps. Earlier, she issued Executive Order No. 788 entitled “Promoting a Youth National Service” that aims to promote community service among the youth in the country.

The DepEd is implementing this project with the help of the National Youth Commission and the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This national service corps is akin to the “Peace Corps,” with its members tasked with community service programs like literacy education, building parks, planting trees and assisting in livelihood programs.

“As DepEd is going full force in making education accessible to all in line with the target of Education For All in 2015, this project is most relevant, “said Education Secretary Jesli Lapus.

Lapus added, “These men and women will be answering a call that is both challenging and rewarding. They will be sent to far-flung areas where they will have a direct hand in improving lives and communities right before their eyes.”

LVs will coordinate with community leaders in identifying potential learners and organize learning groups for the ALS programs. They will also network with other government organizations, NGOs and other orgs for potential support or partnership. They will be contracted from September 2009 to August 2010.

DepEd requires applicants to be between 18-24 years old, preferably a bachelor’s degree holder in elementary and secondary education or holder of any bachelor’s degree, college level or at the very least, high school graduate. They must be willing to work in the target communities and undergo training and refresher courses on ALS.

Interested applicants must submit their resume to the nearest DepEd Division Office.

“We will not field out our LVs by themselves but will put them into teams of 2-5 members depending on the need of the area,” explains Assistant Secretary for Special Projects Jonathan Malaya.

In conducting learning sessions, they will be using ALS learning modules and supplementary materials that have been tried and tested.

Selection of LV is ongoing until August 31, 2009. The chosen LVs will then be trained. They will be deployed in their assigned areas beginning September 7, 2009.

To draw in the best in the project, the department is providing literacy volunteers with a modest stipend of P5,000 a month and another P2,000 as monthly transportation costs for ten months.

The LVs will be supervised by the public school district supervisor where he is assigned.

Malaya enthused, “This is an opportunity for our youth to make a difference and to put into action the real sense of nationalism.”

For more information, please contact the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Special Projects at tel. no.: (02)633-1940/633-7224/631-9641; the Bureau of Alternative Learning System at (02) 635-5191/636-3227 or the National Youth Commission at tel. no (02) 781-1163. (DepEd)