Mrs. Susan Arcilla (in photo) relates how her daughter successfully graduated from high school through SAVS's Open High School Program (OHSP)
Just like any parent, Mrs. Susan Arcilla's priority is to make sure her children have the good future they dream of. For her, education is a way out of poverty for her children.
Through buying and selling scraps, she and her husband are trying their best to provide the needs of the family. They want their four children to finish their studies for them to lead a more comfortable life than what they are able to provide now.
But seeing how hard it is for their parents to make ends meet, the two boys, 17 and 12, are spending more time helping the family earn more either by selling scraps or driving the padyak (pedicab).
But not the girls, who showed more dedication to their studies. Mary Jane, who was then 15, was hopeful that, at least, she and her younger sister are pursuing their dreams.
It's only a few months before Mary Jane receives her high school diploma from SAVS. But the family's dream almost shattered when one day in September 2014, Mary Jane broke the news that she is pregnant. Mrs. Arcilla cried in despair, but not her husband. He ordered Mary Jane to leave the house and go with her boyfriend.
Mrs. Arcilla resisted. She can't easily give up on the dream. She know she must do something.
The following day she was talking to her daughter's class adviser. Alhough tears of disappointment are still rolling down her cheeks, she wants to give Mary Jane another fighting chance to complete her basic education.
The class adviser recommends enrolling her in Open High School Program or OHSP, an alternative delivery mode of education designed for cases like Mary Jane's.
OHSP is a program that caters to the need of those who want to finish high school but prevented by employment, poverty, physical handicap and other reasons. Through modular instructions, students are not required to report duty in school. The modules contains exactly the same lessons as those used in school. OHSP students have to complete the activities at home and periodically send the modules to school for the teachers to evaluate. They are also given examinations to assess their progress. OHSP is one of the Department of Education's programs towards inclusive education for its Education for All (EFA) goal.
In Mary Jane's case, she has to stay home to make sure she is protected against public ridicule. Still, there were neighbors and relatives who learned about her case and many were in doubt if she could finish high school given her situation.
Mary Jane, with the support of her mother and teachers were about to prove them wrong. On March 26, 2015, she is among the 370 graduates of SAVS who successfully received their high school diplomas.
Months after graduation, I had the chance to talk with Mary Jane's mother. She still gets very emotional when she recounts what her daughter went through. But in the end, she is overjoyed every time she sees her high school diploma. She said she and Mary Jane will forever be grateful to SAVS and the teachers who took the patience walked with them the extra mile during their most trying times.
When asked about her advice for those who are in the same situation as they had, "Dai sinda masupog ta igwang arog kaining programa na pwede sindang laogan na maski dai makapa-eskwelahan ang aki, sa harong sana, pwedeng makatapos nin high school. [Do not be ashamed because there is a program like this where they can enroll and finish high school from home)," says Mrs. Arcilla.
