MANILA, Philippines – KAAGAD na gumawa ng proactive steps si Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian para tiyakin na ang mga kabataan na paunang nagpatala ay hindi magda-drop out mula sa eskuwelahan.
Sa pagsisimula ng pagbubukas ng klase sa lahat ng pampublikong paaralan, araw ng Martes, sinabi ni Gatchalian na ang DSWD ay nananatling “right on track” na panatilihin ang pangunahing layunin nito na dalhin ang mga bata sa eskuwelahan o pag-aralin ang mga ito sa pamamagitan ng kanilang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman ni Gatchalian ang patuloy na hamon sa pagbaba ng enrolment at mga kaso ng school drop-out.
“For school year 2022-2023, the 4Ps National Project Management Office (NPMO) monitored more than 7.1 million children-beneficiaries under its educational component, from which, 3.2 million enrolled in elementary; 2.8 million enrolled in high school; and 1.04 million in senior high school,” ayon sa DSWD.
“This means that over 7.1 million children went to school last year and finished a grade level leading to one step higher in the education ladder,” ang pahayag ni DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez.
Nauna rito, inatasan ni Gatchalian si 4Ps NPMO headed by Director Gemma Gabuya na madaliin ang “generation of data” para sa kasalukuyang taon para malaman kung ilan ang mga ‘4Ps children’ na naka-enrol.
“We may be able to release the number of children being monitored under the education component for the current year by September since classes have just opened. We are confident that this is not far from the figure last year,” ani Lopez, DSWD spokesperson. Kris Jose
