Lifeskills Training on Financial Literacy and Basic Business Management Skills for ALS Learners
UNESCO organized a 3-day virtual life skills training on Financial Literacy and Basic Management Skills for ALS learners of Palo in the Division of Leyte in Region VIII, Philippines, under the capacity building component of its “Better Life for Out-of-School Girls to Fight Poverty and Injustice in the Philippines” Project. This continuing learning opportunities intended for ALS learners aim to contribute in the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in particular SDG 4 with an overall goal of improving quality of life of girls living in poverty. UNESCO is supporting out-of-school girls registered under ALS by providing education opportunities for the out-of-school girls to gain future job chances to improve their lives.
Organized last 18-20 November 2020, the online life skills training for ALS learners was streamed live via Facebook at the UNESCO-KOICA-DepEd Project page with 100 ALS learners of Palo, Leyte including their respective mobile teachers and ALS education programme specialists. The virtual lifeskills training was delivered by the UNESCO’s local contractor, which dubbed the learning event as “K: Negosyo Youth for Business Bootcamp, with 961 viewers on Day 1, 684 viewers on Day 2, and 525 viewers on Day 3.
The training tackled six topics: Exploring your traits and characteristics that could help propel your business; Bringing the Business idea to life; How’ to Marketing Your Business; Marketing Dynamics; Financial Literacy; and Basics of Bookkeeping and Accounting.
Director of UNESCO Jakarta, Dr Shahbaz Khan, in his opening remarks expressed his sincerest appreciation to the Department of Education from the national level to the regional level for their collaboration in supporting the project on the Alternative Learning System (ALS) programme in the Philippines. He mentioned that UNESCO recognizes and fully supports the implementation of the Department of Education’s Learning Continuity Plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Mr Alfredo Café, the Regional ALS Focal Person of the Department of Education Regional Office VIII who represented Regional Director Ramir B. Uytico, mentioned that the youth unemployment had been an issue which contributed to the national instability and the labour market. It augmented in number to factor the welfare cost that the government shall fund. He further mentioned that training the youths, especially in preparing them to become future entrepreneurs, is a positive response so that they will be able to contribute to the livelihood and economic development of their families and communities. He recognized the significant contribution of UNESCO in providing these lifeskills training opportunities for ALS learners, especially the girls.
During the closing session, Dr Rosemarie Guino, Officer-in-Charge of the Curriculum and Learning Management Division of the Department of Education Regional Office 8, conveyed her appreciation to UNESCO Jakarta for its continuing support for ALS learners in their quest for quality education. She said that the region is blessed to be part of the project supporting the education of out-of-school girls for their better future.
Dr Mee Young Choi, Head of Education Unit, UNESCO Jakarta, also conveyed her appreciation to the Department of Education under the leadership of the ALS Task Force at the national level down to the regional and division level of the education structure. She particularly highlighted that the project aims to improve and enhance the delivery of ALS programmes to ALS learners equivalent to that of the K-12 formal education with quality and with the main objective that no one should be left behind in education.
This life skills training was not only delivered via Facebook live but also broadcasted via local radio to cater to those ALS learners who do not have internet access. The learning modules have complimented both delivery mechanisms as their basic learning materials for each of the ALS learner of Palo not to miss the learning content. The radio broadcast of the training content has been carried out since 1 November and will last until 6 December 2020, aired every Sunday for one hour under the “K: Negosyo, Panginabuhi Para Ha Kabataan” radio broadcast segment.