ILIGAN City — Two hundred sixteen Grade 12 students in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte are getting a firsthand look at the workplace as part of their Senior High School Work Immersion program.
The learners from Geronima Cabrera National High School are spending 10 days in various offices of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Kolambugan, where they are gaining experience in public service, administrative work, client assistance and technical tasks.
The LGU, led by Mayor Lorenzo “Iyoy” V. Maniegos, opened its municipal offices to the learners based on their learning tracks and areas of specialization.
The group includes 109 students from the General Academic Strand (GAS), 46 from Home Economics and 61 from Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM).
Before deployment, the students underwent an orientation on workplace ethics, safety, protocols and performance expectations. School and LGU officials also coordinated the learners’ assignments and responsibilities.
The students formally began their immersion by joining the LGU’s weekly flag ceremony, giving them an early experience of workplace discipline, civic responsibility and public service.
They were then assigned to different municipal departments, where LGU personnel served as mentors and guided them through workplace procedures and assigned tasks.
For Grade 12 learner Cedric Coyno, the immersion goes beyond meeting a graduation requirement.
He said the experience allows students to understand the responsibilities and challenges of working while developing discipline, punctuality, teamwork, communication and professionalism.
Coyno urged fellow learners to take an active role in the program by asking questions, accepting challenges and learning from their experiences.
The initiative also reflects the growing role of schools and local governments in giving Senior High School learners practical exposure before they move on to college, employment, entrepreneurship or technical-vocational careers.
During her visit to Geronima Cabrera National High School, Department of Education (DepEd) Region 10 Director Dr. Ruth L. Fuentes, CESO III, recognized Kolambugan’s contribution to providing immersion opportunities for learners.
A Sept. 10 DepEd Region 10 post said Northern Mindanao ranked second on the national Work Immersion Pledging Dashboard at the time, with 2,866 pledged slots, or 11 percent of the dashboard total.
The dashboard listed the LGU of Kolambugan as the top company or partner in Region 10. DepEd noted, however, that the pledges were self-reported and subject to verification.
Vice Mayor Angelo S. Completado, representing Mayor Maniegos, also reaffirmed the LGU’s support for the program and the school’s efforts to expose students to actual work environments.
For the 216 learners, the 10-day program offers more than a glimpse of municipal operations. It gives them a chance to test classroom knowledge in real situations and develop skills they can use after Senior High School.
