UPDATE:

SIBOL SCHOOLYEAR 2013-2014 PREP- EDU. IN DON MANUEL VILLAGE

By Orquidia Valenzuela

This school year, 2013-2014, 35 children between three to six years old in the poor village of Don Manuel, Barangay Balingasan in Quezon City are given preparatory elementary education by SIBOL

Department of Education requires kindergarten training before a child can enter Grade I.

The houses in Don Manuel were built by Gawad Kalinga (GK) for the poorest of poor families. SIBOL is a GK program for the children between three to six years old living in the village. SIBOL relies on the support of benefactors.

The pupils are divided into 3 groups: preparatory; kindergarten and nursery. Two qualified teachers Nancy Amantillo and Minda Barcelo give the daily lessons.

School year 2013-14 opened and the teachers started training the children. But, SIBOL budget came short to pay the salaries of the teachers, purchase educational materials and continue the children feeding program. The financial contribution of a few SIBOL individuals in Manila and a kababayan in Europe can sustain the project only until the middle of the school year. Benefactors in the past withdrew their commitment due to the economic crisis they face.

The parents whose daily earnings are not enough to feed their families, in their desire that their children get good education buy and sew the materials, a dress- uniform their child can wear to school. They also shoulder the rent of the small improvised classroom.

It was manna from heaven when an e-mail from Tessie Lozada Selby from New Jersey, USA, stating she was sending a check came. Steyl Catholic Choir of Zaandam, the Netherlands pledged to remit whatever their group can raise.
 
Since it started 12 years ago hundreds of children in the village were able to enter elementary schools and are excelling in their studies. In the previous years the average enrolment per school year was 60.