Lumad school holds graduation rites in Tandag evacuation center

By BEN SERRANO,
Corresponden

BUTUAN City — Displaced indigenous people students of tribal schools Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (Alcadev) and the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) held their commencement and moving up exercises not on their school grounds but at the Surigao del Sur Provincial Sports Complex turned evacuation center in Tandag City last Friday, March 18.

In time of their closing and graduation rites last Friday, displaced indigenous people from tribal villages of Surigao del Sur have been staying at the Tandag City evacuation center for already 200 days after an Executive Director of tribal school Alcadev and two tribal datus were murdered in front of community people and students by suspected armed lumad group Magahat last August 1, 2015 in Km.9, Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur

Annabelle Campos, Literacy Coordinator of TRIFPPS said 25 lumad girls and 8 boys graduated of TRIFPSS’ Alternative Learning System Program or ALS while Alcadev whose curriculum centered most on agriculture has 9 girls and five boys graduated.

Singer and former popular child actress Aiza Seguerra together with her partner Liza Dino, Bishops and priests from the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) and Iglesia Filpina Independiente (IFI) churches, OSB and Missionary of Sisters of Mary (MSM) sisters,

government agencies representatives were present and officials and members of Partylist Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) attended as Guests while others served as guests speakers of the graduation and commencement exercises rites.

During the closing or commencement exercises same day and same venue, the evacuation center, Campos claimed there are total of 424 lumad learners of ALS or the Alternative Learning Systems who passed the school year 2015-2016 under TRIFPPS while ALCADEV which focus on high school alternative learning system has 120 first year and second year learners passed.

Campos added some 21 lumads graduated in the adult literacy program of the tribal schools while 32 adopted  learners who were regular students from public schools of tribal villages of Bulho-on, Tambunon and Catabatan Elementary Schools in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur who evacuated since August 9, 2015 and accommodated at the Tandag City evacuation center have passed the school year 2015-2016 ALS program.

Meanwhile, NGO Save Our Schools or SOS-Caraga Region network in their press statement forwarded to the Gold Star Daily said, the group remained steadfast in their commitment to educate indigenous people deprived by government in their rights for education.

“We suffered at least 18% drop-outs since the September 2015 attack on our Lumad schools, the biggest since the tribal community schools were established. Still, considering their dire conditions, many more persisted Our sustained students are victims and witnesses of this violence and at their young age are survivors. We salute our students in their triumph and we see in each of them the future leaders and productive members of our Lumad communities,” says SOS-Caraga press statement.