Australia grants Maguindanao upland town educational aid

COTABATO CITY (Sept.1/NDBC)
– A far-flung public high school in the mountain town of Maguindanao has
received tools and equipment for dressmaking as education aid to pupils,
officials said today.

The equipment
assistance were handed over by the Australian Government through the Basic
Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM) and implemented through
DepED-ARMM, to Pilar Integrated Technical Vocational High School (PITVHS) in
South Upi, Maguindanao.

The tools and
equipment included 25 units of household manual sewing machines, five units of
high speed sewing machines, flat irons, among others.

Judy Ann
Lozada, 17, a fourth-year high school student at PITVHS, was thrilled when she
learned about the assistance to their school.

Malayo ang
barangay namin sa kabihasnan pero nakarating dito sa amin ang tulong mula sa
BEAM-ARMM (Our barangay lags behind in terms of development and its remote yet
BEAM-ARMM found us),” she said.

Barangay Pilar
is located in the outskirts of Maguindanao province, about three hours away
from Cotabato City.

While a
provincial road passes through the barangay, commuters must traverse a long
stretch of dirt road in and out of the area which worsens travel during rainy
season.

We are so
grateful,” the obviously excited Losada said, showing her eagerness to hone her
skills in dressmaking and tailoring.

DepED-ARMM
Regional Technology and Livelihood Education Coordinator Corazon Maguate, who
was also at the handover program, stressed that the Technology Vocational (Techvoc)
program’s main objective in South Upi was to provide its high school students
the opportunity to acquire a TESDA National Certificate (NC) at the community
level.

You don’t
need to go to Cotabato City or somewhere else just to earn TESDA certificates
since you already have a Techvoc school in your municipality,” said Maguate.

PITVHS is one
of 23 senior high schools assisted through improved curricula and increased
competence of teachers.

Barangay Pilar
in South Upi, Maguindanao is host to three major tribal groupsand the T’duray,
the indigenous people of the area the Maguindanaons or the Moro group and the
Christian-settlers.

South Upi
Mayor Abdullah Campong said during the handover ceremony that the dressmaking
tools and equipment will make a huge impact on their youth.”

I will ensure
that the tri-people of South Upi will benefit from this program,” he said,
adding that PITVHS will become the center of the town’s Techvoc programs and
projects.

Campong said the
tri-people of the town live harmoniously.

Thanks to the
Australian Government, this project will further strengthen the ties of my
people,” he said.

Through June
2015, BEAM-ARMM is providing 15,000 OSYs and senior high school students with
market sensitive and inclusive technical vocational education, training and
skills throughout ARMM where there are high concentrations of unemployed and
underemployed youth.

BEAM-ARMM is a
comprehensive education and youth development program that enables children and
youth in Muslim Mindanao to develop and reach their potential. The Program
delivers accessible and healthy learning facilities, quality teachers, learning
materials, and a protective environment for children in need and out of school
youth, through effective, transparent and accountable management systems.The Program
contributes to the alleviation of poverty in ARMM and, in the longer term, to
the emergence of sustainable peace through closely targeted investments in
basic education that prepare ARMM to engage productively with economic
opportunities. (NDBC)