NGOs to get training on teaching kids formation school lessons

Sun*Star Cebu
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A FORMATION school curriculum, which used to be accessible only to the upper end market, is going to be adopted by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) as part of its education programs for “economically disadvantaged” families.

The Pearl Principle Formation Program, which was first started by the Centre for International Education (CIE) two years ago, will be implemented by PBSP’s partner cooperatives and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and targets children from four to eight years old.

Last week, PBSP’s Visayas Executive Committee Chairman Jose Antonio Aboitiz signed a memorandum of agreement with CIE, represented by its president Nelia Sarcol.

Aboitiz said the Pearl program will help develop children to become passionate, ethical, action-oriented and results-focused leaders of society.

Aside from value formation, the program will also aim to develop a sense of appreciation for life.

In an interview last week, Virgilio Paralisan, CIE’s assistant vice president for administration, explained the Pearl program is a special and high standard curriculum and uses unconventional methods of teaching.

Paralisan added the Pearl program implements a “same intelligence” approach when teaching the children.

“There is no social-economic structure, so everybody is treated equally and education should be an equalizer,” he said.

But Paralisan clarified that the Pearl program, when implemented by a partner cooperative or NGO, will not be for free.

Social enterprise

Instead, it will be a social enterprise similar to public schools where minimal fees will be collected.

He said parents who invest on their children’s education are the ones more likely to want their children to finish school.

Under the PBSP program, the Tabok Workers’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TWMPC) has been pre-qualified to implement the program for the dependents of its members.

CIE will be helping TWMPC come up with a business plan and identified teachers of the cooperative will be trained during this year’s teachers’ summer camp. (DME)