DepEd chief urges out-of-school-youths to emulate Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has urged out-of-school youths (OSY) to emulate Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, who has not given up on finishing school despite his huge fame and success. "Despite his success, he chose to continue and finish school. Tularan ninyo si Manny," Lapus told some 1,200 OSY who benefited from the Out-of-School Youth Serving Towards Economic Recovery (Oyster), program of the government. Pacquiao has been made the Department of Education's (DepEd’s) poster boy for its Bureau of Alternative Learning System, where the world champion completed his high school course. Lapus made the statement after handing over some P5,000 each to Oyster beneficiaries as compensation for Oyster utility worker in 1,200 elementary and secondary schools under the Divisions of Angeles and San Fernando cities in Pampanga, Tarlac and Tarlac City. “Oyster program is only temporary employment pursuant to the government’s mandate to provide assistance and economic relief to the poor." Lapus told the OSYs. “Huwag kayong tutulog-tulog, ang Oyster program ay temporary lamang. Samantalahin nyo ang programang education ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng DepEd. Habang buhay may pag-asa, ang mga tutulog-tulog kalahating buhay at kalahating patay na ang ibig sabihin nito." Lapus said. He encouraged the OSYs to take advantage of DepEd program to help them continue education as part of the government’s response UNESCO’s education for all goals. He said OSY who wish to pursue education could either take DepEd’s Philippine Education Placement Test (PEPT) which aims to determine the school level knowledge the individual before enrollment. The other of mode is taking the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in which functional literacy is being measured and determined before issuance of either diploma for elementary of secondary education. Lapus said the A&E test was the same examination that Pacquiao took in 2007 that earned him high school diploma and made him eligible for college. He said Pacquiao is now enrolled in Notre Dame in Mindanao to pursue college education. – GMANews.TV