MANILA (UPDATED) – Taking their cue from 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepEd) launched a new and improved version of the “Kariton Klasrum” for homeless families in Metro Manila.
Dubbed K4 or “Kariton, Klasrum, Klinik, Kantin”, the project aims to address basic needs of street children who are unable to go to schools for formal education.
“Galing ang idea na ito kay (Efren Peñaflorida). Meron kaming curriculum para sa pangangailangan ng mga street kids na ilang taon na ring hindi nakakapasok sa eskwelahan. Ang naging problema kasi dati, pinapapasok sila sa pormal na classroom pero hindi sila nagtatagal dahil nahuhuli na nga sila. So ngayon, dadalhin natin yung classroom kung saan sila,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said.
Aside from providing regular classes, the pushcart classrooms also develop the well-being of the students by integrating them with the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) program of the DSWD.
Each homeless family is allowed to enroll up to 3 children each, with an allowance of 300 pesos every month per student. Another 500 pesos will be given monthly to the whole family as a health grant. The beneficiaries will also be given Philhealth memberships.
Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman says some 2,000 families are already benefiting from the MCCT. Other forms of assistance are also in the offing.
“Bibigyan din sila ng house rental money sa loob ng 6 na buwan para wala na sila sa mga lansangan. Sisimulan din natin ang pagtulong sa kanilang livelihood para magkaroon sila ng palagiang hanapbuhay,” she said.
The secretary said seed money will be given to beneficiaries at zero interest that is payable for up to 2 years.
The program owes its ideas and implementation to teacher and social worker Peñaflorida who is also the founder of Dynamic Teen Company. K4 hopes to replicate Peñaflorida’s success in his native Cavite, where the Kariton Klasrum has helped hundreds of Out of School Youths transition to regular schools.
“It’s like a dream come true for us. Ang totoo ever since hindi naman namin pinagdadamot yung idea ng Kariton Klasrum. Pero more than that, ang ultimate goal is education for all dapat, at sana makamit natin ang target by 2015,” says Peñaflorida.
Luistro says there are currently 4 areas in Metro Manila where Kariton Klasrums are already being utilized, particularly in Malabon, Caloocan, Quezon City, and Pasig. The group plans to map the “congregation areas” to expand the program.###
(Reprinted from: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/focus/04/18/13/dswd-deped-launch-kariton-classrooms)
