Improved school performance among children of Pantawid beneficiaries
By: Minerva BC Newman
CENTRAL VISAYAS, Oct 16 (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) in Central Visayas believed that the Pantawid Pamilya program is the hope for a better educatedPhilippines .
DSWD-7 Pantawid Pamilya regional coordinator Aileen Lariba shared that in areas where families are recipients of the government’s cash grants there is a noted increase in school attendance and performance of children.
Lariba said the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program gives priority to educating the children by requiring them to enroll and attend classes 85% of the time.
“This is a provision embedded in the Pantawid program that the cash grant will be used for the schooling and health of the children, Lariba added.
According to Lariba, education is still the key to freedom from the bondage of ignorance and poverty.
The parents too relive education through regular Family Development Sessions (FDS), however all these would not be possible on an empty stomach or a naked feet.
The program is designed to give conditional cash grants to poor household amounting to P500/month for health and P300/child per month but for a maximum of three children only per household.
Lariba reported that on the first year of implementation in Cebu City , it was noted that enrollment increases of about 101% from School Year 2008-2009 to 2009-2010.
Day care centers that were use to cater to 10-15 children are now holding classes twice a day for 20-30 students per class, Lariba noted.
This phenomenon is also mirrored in the neighboring Provinces where the program has been implemented.
In the Municipality of Pilar , Bohol, the principal of Estaca Elementary School stated that with Pantawid Pamilya, they were able to rank first in the National Achievement Test (NAT) in their district.
According to Lariba the school used to occupy the 8th place in the NAT and for Brigada Eskwela they used to rank 3rd from the bottom but recently, the Estaca Elem school ranked number 3.
The school principal Mrs. Cedica Bernante noted that children are now allowed to attend Saturday review classes instead of working in the rice fields.
“Most of the students are now inspired to go to school as they see their parents prioritize education,” Bernante said.
In Inabanga, Bohol in its early stage of implementation, enrollment for school year 2010-2011, there was a 37% increase in enrollment compared to the school year 2009-2010.
In the Brigada Eskwela, there was also a 90% increase in parents’ and students’ participation compared to the 35% turn-out in 2009.
All these cooperation and participation gave the Estaca Elem school an 88.95% rating in the last NAT where past experiences only gave them an average 70.13 percent.
These trends have been consistent in all areas where Pantawid Pamilya program is implemented.
“This only means that the government’s Pantawid cash grants has worked very well for the poorest of the poor,” Lariba said.
It also means more literate citizens in the very near future giving the next generations a competitive edge in the global market of employment.
True to its aim, the Pantawid Pamilya program may very well frees the poor from the bondage of intergenerational cycle of poverty, illiteracy and mis-education, said DSWD. (PIA-7 & DSWD-7)