Graduation rites were held at De La Salle University last August 4, 2016 for the nineteen (19) COSCA ALS Learners who passed the Department of Education's High School Accreditation and Equivalency Test (AET). Awarded with their respective medals and high school diplomas are the following learners:
Also recognized during the program are the following individuals and organizations with significant contributions to the program:
Dream More
Mr. Leo Tadena, Development Specialist of COSCA's Lasallian Accessible, Relevant and Alternative Learning (L-ARAL), went onstage next to provide a brief history about ALS and the graduating learners. He noted the significant roles played by two Lasallian Brothers in improving the educational situation in the country - Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC who started ALS as the Non-Formal Education Program (NFE) of DepEd and Br. Armin Luistro FSC who institutionalized the K-12 educational reform program. Mr. Tadena reiterated that ALS should not be looked down upon as a program for school leavers only. "ALS is also an educational program taken by celebrities and TV personalities too," he said. With rising costs of education, ALS may even play a bigger role in helping needy children complete primary and secondary schooling. Second Chances After all the medals and certificates were awarded, Jester, one of the best performers in class, touched everyone present with her story of rising up from failure. She recalls how her rebellion against her family led her to smoke, drink and neglect her studies. It has even made her a mother at such a young age. She is very much thankful though for the second chance that ALS gave her. She challenged her batch mates to dream big and persevere: "Para sa mga estudyante na naririto, magsipagtapos din kayo ng pag-aaral at mangarap kayo ng mataas at sikapin ninyong abutin ito. Lahat ay kaya nating magawa o maabot basta't may tiwala ka sa sarili at sa Panginoon." Click here for FULL TEXT of her Message and Challenge to the Graduates. Click here for ALS Parents' Message of Thanks. Brgy. 704 Captain, Virginia Elizan also told graduates not to allow any obstacle to stand the way of their aspirations in life. As a fellow graduate of ALS (earlier called NFE), she remembered how she overcame all the difficulties of completing ALS while serving as a barangay official in 1997. To avail of the non-formal education program then, she had to form a foundation and gather forty-two other students like herself to enroll. She eventually finished high school and pursued Public Administration in College. Her secret to success: "Pag nangarap ka at sinamahan mo ng sipag at tiyaga, may kahihinatnan ang iyong pinaghirapan." Remember St. La Salle's Teachings
The DLSU-ALS is managed by the Center for Social Concern and Action as integral part of its University Community Engagement and Development Program (UCEDP) headed by Joseph Rosal. UCEDP is the lead unit of COSCA which is implementing direct Community Engagements as one of the strategic directions of the university and implements the localization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Center for Social Concern and Action
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