By: Mr. Emmanuel R. Yunting
School Head/OIC Kananga NHS-Libertad Annex
A dream is a part of the human nature. It flows in every person’s being to desire for something pleasant in life. He or she may pursue to acquire something that his heart really longs to have- be it a college education, a degree, a happy married life, etc. It is something that pushes someone to focus and achieve his goals. It is already incorporated in every individual’s unique system of life.
THE LEARNER AS A DREAMER
Every learner has a special dream. Someone once asked one of our learners: “Why do you tend to go to school?” “I want to finish my studies and to help my family when I get a stable job.” A learner’s special dream is not for himself alone but mainly for his family. He wants to help lift them out of poverty. He wants to give back in return what his parents have done for him. He wants to prove that “poverty is not hindrance” instead, it is an encouragement to strive hard and become a successful individual in the future.
What can hinder the learner’s achievement of his dreams? Some learners struggled for lack of parental moral support. It is believed that the teenage years is the most crucial period in a person’s life. During this time, a person is more sensitive. Some learners would admit that they think their parents do not love them and they don’t care about them. They feel alone in their journey of making their dreams come true. It makes them decide to stop schooling because they think they are not appreciated. Lack of financial support from their parents is a great challenge. Going to school every day needs to be assisted with money to support their baon and other expenses such as fares. It is sometimes the reason why some learners would be forced to be in and out of school from time to time because they still need to work for themselves in order to sustain their needs in going back to school. Distance from home to school is another problem. KNHS-Libertad Annex is the most accessible High School to Bagabao, Margen, Tapol, Bertulfo, and Sto. Domingo. Most of the learners are coming from these sitios and barangays. The learners need to walk an average of 7 kilometers every day in order to reach school. Health is a problem, too. In most cases, the learners are forced to drop out from school due to some illness. It is very difficult for them to go to school regularly especially when they do not feel well about their health. Child-labor is also one that challenges the learners. The learners are hooked by the influence of getting a money from working in the farm. It makes them want to rather work and earn money than go to school. But some of these learners if not most are just forced to work because of their family situations that needs help from them to work in the rice fields especially during planting and harvesting season to raise money for family’s financial shortage to support for their daily consumptions.
A TEACHER AS A DREAMER
A teacher is also a dreamer. The learner’s dreams are like seeds. These seeds are sown in the fertile ground which is the school. The cultivators are the teachers who are also the dreamers. The teachers dream to see their learners finish their education, earn a degree and become a successful individual who can face every challenges in life without fear and hesitation.
Alarmed by the high dropout rate from last school year, the KANANGA NHS-LIBERTAD ANNEX school head together with the teachers came up with a program called TASK-SARDO (Technical Assistance and Solutions for Keeping Students Against Risks of Dropping Out). Through this, the school is able to come up with certain interventions to save the learners who are under the SARDO (Students At Risk of Dropping Out). As of this school year, the school has 6 number of learners who are considered at risk of dropping out due to the same reasons already mentioned. The following are the interventions:
a. Home Visitation-In this activity, advisers of each Grade level started by identifying the learners who are at risk of dropping out. Then, the schedule to visit the child was set. During the conduct of home visits, the teachers will be able to realize and understand the child’s situation and possible can apply interventions in order to help the learner.
b. Counselling-In this activity, the advisers help the learners to realize their potentials to achieve their dreams by enhancing their confidence and self-esteem.
c. Feeding Program-This activity is done to support the health and nutritional status of the learners so that they can concentrate in their studies and soon reach their dreams.
In addition, the government’s program is also a big help to the learners. Through the 4P’s or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, their financial needs are somehow being supported. With the allowances they receive from the government, the learners are able to buy the things they need including their food which is basic needs
Dreams are worth achieving. In the process, it can be difficult due to many hindrances. But nothing or no one can stop anyone who has a powerful desire to achieve those dreams. Just like the learners who area dreamer can achieve what they conceive about themselves. The teachers will do every possible thing to help the learners achieve their dreams in life because the learner’s dream is a teacher’s dream.
