By Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY – The Mindanao Youth for
Development (MYDev) program of the USAID in partnership with the Out-of-School
Youth Development Alliance (OSYDA) is implementing some 21 literacy and skills
training in this city.
The basic literacy program, acceleration and equivalency
(A&E) classes and TESDA-accredited trade or skills training activities are
being implemented with Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI) as the USAID-MYDev
Education Development Center’s (EDC) local service provider.
At the OSYDA meeting on Jan. 6, the NFI reported that it is
implementing twenty one classes or training in 18 barangays in Isabela City,
namely: Carbon, Diki, Kapatagan Diutay, Kapatagan Grande, Tabiawan for Basic
Literacy Program; Busay, Sta. Barbara, and Tabiawan for A&E classes; and
skills training for Cabunbata (horticulture), Kumalarang (aquaculture), Diki
(aquaculture), Maligue (animal production), Lanote (SMAW), Begang (carpentry),
Kapatagan Grande (rubber production), Aguada (bread and pastry), Doña Ramona
(bread and pastry), Panunsulan (carpentry), Baluno (dressmaking), Sunrise and
Masula (food processing).
Alex Molas of MYDev reported that the projects has a total of 92
percent enrollment rate so far with the target 633 OSYs in year one. The enrollees
were mostly males, comprising 60 percent or 349 OSYs compared to 236 women
enrollees. Molas said this is attributed to the type of skills training
offering where most trade courses are male-preferred courses.
There are 75 OSYs who have already completed the training on
dressmaking and food processing courses. Eleven are NC-II certified completers
and the other 49 OSYs are currently undergoing assessment.
Molas said the average completion rate for the said completed
courses is 68 percent, which can be attributed to OSYs low attendance rate,
which is only 56 percent (note that this the average for the three groups for
the two courses mentioned).
Engr. Angelina P. Fernandez of NFI confirmed that the
organization is facing some challenges in implementing the projects, which she
hopes that the OSYDA can address.
She revealed that of the 20 priority barangays, only 14 have
accepted the projects for implementation in their respective barangays.
Projects intended for the remaining priority barangays were moved or
implemented in non-priority barangays of Carbon, Doña Ramona, Kapatagan Diutay
and Masula, these accounts for a total 18 barangays benefiting from the program.
The project was not implemented in priority barangays of
Panigayan, Lampinigan, Tabuk, Marang-Marang, Calvario, and Timpul due to the
following reasons: difficulty in the recruitment of OSYs in the barangay,
courses offered are not preferred by the barangay officials and by the OSYs,
non-interest of the youth to enroll, and barangay chairpersons are not
responsive to the project and some demanded for allowances for enrollees which
is not covered by the project.
Molas also revealed the challenges facing the implementation of
the project. This includes the lack or no available qualified skills trainers
and assessors, low attendance and completion rate, and less opportunity for
skills completers on job employment.