On Weekend Classes and the Ex-Mayor

Now that it's the season of graduations, yet here I'm talking about classes. In Facebook, IG and all sort of social media outlets, I see children finishing another milestone in their school life that makes any parent proud. One by one they're climbing the stairs to success. Since my kids are not yet in school (next school year 2015 perhaps), I'm acting also as guardian to my two house 'mates' (that's what I call my two house help at home). The other one is attending Sunday high school and the nanny is yet to enter first year college this June or September (?). For this kind of set-up, this is advantageous for us employers because we can send them to school without hampering their duties of manning our house and look after our kids during weekdays when we're out for work. Hubby and I also have this principle that we give them proper education because not forever they'll be working as house helpers. We want them to excel in achieving their dreams in life. Weekend classes are excellent idea for those working students and, like us who hired house 'mates' in the first place.

That vision started to crumble a little bit in the recent days and until last night. Last year as I was scouting for a weekend college class for my previous nanny, I came across a school which is a satellite school near our place. When I called for inquiry, they told me they'll stop accepting incoming freshmen for this kind of program but will just finish through with the existing students until they will all graduate. I was puzzled if they'll be closing their school or what. I realized that I think this was the reason. According to our ex-Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, who happens to be in the same place as we were last night (shucks! I didn't have the guts to have a photo taken with her, star struck!!), CHED already issued a memorandum order for the suspension of weekend college classes. (Anybody who knows of the Memorandum Order No.? Please share). Oh my! This is indeed true. I asked her what better alternative the government has to offer similar to this kind of program. She said that night classes are being offered by schools but during weekdays. I don't think it is applicable for us because classes starts at 5 pm to 9 in the evening. In our case, my office work ends at 6 in the evening. And there's no way I will allow to leave my two kids with only one to look after my 1 year old and 3 year old. And besides, on my nanny's part, I know it will be too tiring for her because during the day she'll look after my 1 year old and then off prepare to go to school and be home around 10 in the evening.

Inday Sara, as what she is well-known here in our city, said about 'ladderized' schooling. Take TESDA accredited course of your choice and on your 3rd year in college in a regular school, subjects will be accredited if one will push through a 4-year degree course. But even if it's just a 2-year associate course with a TESDA accredited school, one's skills and competence are already developed or trained. Big percentage of TESDA school graduates can land a decent job and can even get a high paying job when you decide to go abroad. I myself sees these developments with a 2-year associate degree graduate. They land a fulfilling jobs outside the country. They even make big bucks as compared to an average working employee here in our country.

I hope the government should focus on education not only for the able but also for those working students and scholarships be made accessible for those who are willing to finish school in their own determination. With this, I hope too that the quality of education must not be of losing end just because of a free or minimal paying tuition fee compared to regular school attendees. I hope programs like these must be designed for both employers and employees (like in our case, house helpers) advantage. #weekendclass #schooliscool #CHED #househelp