By Franklin P. Gumapon
PAGADIAN CITY – Partner-agencies in the
implementation of the Department of Education (DepEd)-9’s literacy program have
been recognized recently in simple awarding ceremonies at its regional office
at Barangay Tiguma this city.
DepEd-9 Regional Director Isabelita Moleta-Borres personally
handed the certificates of recognition to the representatives of the local
government units (LGUs) of Molave in Zamboanga del Sur, Tungawan in Zamboanga
Sibugay and Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte, and to other partner-agencies
such as the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-9, Philippine
Information Agency (PIA)-9 and the Zamboanga del Norte Federation of Parents
Association (ZNFEPA), a non-government organization based in Dipolog City.
These three LGUs, Borres said, were recognized as
outstanding literacy program implementers, as they had contributed immensely to
the success of said program by setting aside some funding allocation to reach
out to out-of-school youth and other adult learners in the community.
NEDA-9 and PIA-9, on the other hand, extended to support to
DepEd by promoting or lobbying support for the literary program from the
members of different social development committees of the Regional Development
Council (RDC) while the ZNFEPA has been implementing its own literacy programs
to complement that of the DepEd.
Borres also emphasized the importance of literacy in the
lives of the people by citing an anecdote of a grade 3 social studies teacher
who asked her pupils, “Who is Jose Rizal?” The teacher felt sad because no one
from rows 1, 2 and 3 did raise his/her hand to answer the question. Then, a boy
from row 4 raised his hand and the teacher excitedly asked him, “What is your
answer?” The boy replied: “Maam, Jose Rizal is not here; he’s not our
classmate. He might be in the other section.”
“This is unfortunate. That is why we must educate our
people, give them the right information so that they won’t be illiterate,” the
lady regional director said.
Simple literacy rate in
region 9 varies from province to province, ranging from 87 to 90 percent.