GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The city government has endorsed the expansion of an innovative literacy program for tribal B’laan learners here supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Tuesday they are fully supporting the sustenance of the program in local public schools through its implementer Conrado & Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CLAFI).
Dubbed Flalok Project, the initiative has already assisted around 300 B’laan learners in 11 public schools with enrolled indigenous peoples (IP) or tribal learners.
It was introduced by CLAFI in partnership with the Department of Education and the city government, and sppecial funding from the USAID.
A project briefer said at least 72 “Flalok Big Books” containing authentic Blaan stories gathered from B’laan elders and leaders had been produced in line with the initiative.
The “Big Books” are being used in Flalok classes of the beneficiary-schools and supplemented with guides for teachers and learner materials, it said.
Flalok classes, which were conceptualized following the Mother Tongue-Based MultiLingual Education paradigm of the DepEd, give Blaan learners a strong educational foundation in the first language and at the same time as medium of instruction.
Rivera said Flalok Project is a manifestation of collective effort in creating awareness of the Blaan storytelling as a strong foundation in literacy and building cultural identity and destiny.
“It is my conviction that educating our younger generation is the best way to sustain all our development efforts,” he said.
In support of the project, he said the local government has set aside some P300,000.00 for the printing of additional copies of the “Big Books.”
These books would be used in Flalok classes in selected local IP and elementary schools in the city.
The school-beneficiaries are the Tanda IP School, Tbag IP School, Klolang Elementary School, Banwala Elementary School, Fataldaw IP School, Daan Banwang Elementary School, Sansapan IP School, Aspang Elementary School, Dangan IP School, Balnabo IP School and Bagong Silang Elementary School.
“Investing in education including alternative ways in education will reap a generation that would take care of our future and become responsible citizens,” Rivera added. (PNA)