Global Peace Festival Foundation
Philippines
Christian and Muslim Learners March Together for the 1st Commencement Exercises of GPFF Alternative Learning System (GlobALS)
Thirty nine passers of the Accreditation and Equivalency Test and 73 completers of the GPFF Livelihood Workshop marched onstage for the 1st Commencement Exercises of GPFF’s Alternative Learning System (GlobALS) on June 12, 2012 at Talipapa National High School, City of Malabon.
Six elementary and 33 high school GlobALS learners who passed the national Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test will each receive a certification from the Department of Education. Elementary Level passers are now eligible for enrollment in high school education while those certified at the Secondary Level are eligible to enroll in any college course (after passing entrance exams) or they can also apply for work that requires a minimum of a high school diploma.
Lorna Montes, a GlobALS learner from Talipapa, shared her enthusiasm when she first learned that she passed the National A&E Test and impressively, became one with the highest scores. “I am really happy because I can now enroll to a college or find a job to help my family,” Lorna told GPFF during an interview.
“All these years, we’ve been doing our best to upgrade the lives of our Muslim brothers and sisters,” stated PSupt. Ebra Moxzir, President of Rama Quranic Learning Center, in his speech. “We thank GPFF for being a strong partner and giving us the opportunity to help our Muslim brothers and sisters improve their livelihood and education,” he added.
GlobALS, on its second year, aims to provide a quality and flexible alternative mode of education for out of school children, youth and adults that is comparable and equivalent to the formal basic education instruction. The program welcomed more than 500 learners from nine learning sites in Metro Manila and Mindanao for the School Year 2012-2013.
Also present in the commencement exercises are the completers of the week-long Livelihood Workshops that were simultaneously held in all four Community Learning Centers in Metro Manila. Learners were taught practical skills to support themselves, their families and eventually their communities such as Basic Hotel and Restaurant Services; Handicraft Processing; Basic Pattern and Dress Making; Food Processing and Preservation and other variety of economic activities. Most number of completers are housewives and mothers from Culiat, a Muslim community in Quezon City.