In May 2021, FundLife partnered with Libertad Elementary School to establish a community learning space within the community. It was able to engage 24 pupils from Grades 4-6 of the school year 2020-2021 who were declared at risk of dropping out of school due to poor academic performance and inability to adopt the new learning set up due to COVID-19. After participating in a total of 27-hour play-based study support sessions, 100% of Grade 6 students advanced to Junior High School the rest of the students advanced to Grades 5 and 6.
It can be inferred that no pupil dropped out from the CLS study classes and their school. The children also expressed how thankful they are to FundLife, especially those who had struggled understanding the topics in Math, Science, and English.
“Before, I couldn’t understand the Math and English lessons. Still, after our classes with the teachers for the past school year, I have improved significantly in addition, subtraction, and multiplication. I realized that I still can improve in my weak areas with our teachers, who do their best to teach us the lessons.” - Nina
“Last school year, I had a hard time with my modules. I thought of just stopping, but I found it easier to answer my modules because of the CLS initiative. I could easily comprehend the topics with the help of our learning aides. And this school year, I expect to learn more and improve my grades and academic performance.” - Rutchie
Nina and Rutchie are just two of the pupils from the first batch who were able to improve their studies through the initiative; that’s why they chose to enroll in the CLS study sessions for this school year.
For the school year 2021-2022, the learning space, which is situated in Brgy. Libertad, Palo Leyte, currently engages 44 pupils from Grades 4 to 6, nearly double the number of pupils enrolled for the last school year. Twelve are from the 1st batch of pupils in the program, and 32 are new. Many parents would like to have their children engaged in the program since they have heard good feedback about it.
Asked about the new participants’ expectations, Arkenth has this to say: “I am looking forward to having a renewed motivation and love for learning and answering my modules. Since the start of classes, it is now easier for me to understand the topics in the module. Before, no one could help us answer the modules, but now we have about four teachers helping us. Also, I am learning to discipline myself, especially in managing my time to answer the modules in the learning space and at home. I hope that the CLS initiative will continue until the next school year, and we will still be chosen to become their pupils.”
From Palo, Leyte, we were also able to partner with a school from North Tacloban City to implement the program. With the strong support of Brgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban City and the North Tacloban City Hall Extension Office, Ridge View Park Integrated School and FundLife developed a Pagbasa Program through the CLS intervention to engage their pupils who are at the risk of dropping out because of poor academic performance. Some of these pupils were found to be learners who needed reading and writing interventions. A total of 50 pupils (20 from Grade 4, 20 from Grade 5, and 10 from Grade 6) are expected to start their CLS study sessions by October 5, 2021.
We also have another group of learners who will be engaged in the program. They are the boys staying at a Child Care Facility in Brgy. Tagpuro, Tacloban City. Currently, FundLife is doing play-based learning sessions in the facility that houses 13 boys. They will all undergo writing and reading enhancement activities—a curriculum FundLife explicitly designed to fit their academic needs.
Indeed the CLS initiative is expanding. And we will continue to grow because another partnership is on the way, still with a school located in Brgy. Sto. Nino, Tacloban City.
During a consultation meeting with 15 North Tacloban youth organization presidents, 5 of them whose villages are situated in Brgy. Sto. Nino all agreed that the community learning space is a good initiative for their community. The organization is in coordination with the head of the North Tacloban City Hall Extension Office to implement this program in the said community.
FundLife will continue to support communities, schools, and the government in making learning for children and youth accessible and more manageable.
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