Report No. 23132-PH OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE PHILIPPINES: ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES Human Development Sector Unit East Asia and Pacific Region The World Bank Washington, D.C. September 2003 Currency Equivalents (Exchange Rate Effective September 2003) Currency Unit = Philippines Peso (PhP) US$1.00 = 53.73 Pesos 1.00 Peso = US$.018 Fiscal Year January 1 - December 31 Acronyms and Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank GPYD Global Partnering for Youth Development ALS Alternative Learning System GTZ German Bilateral Aid Agency A&E Accreditation and Equivalency IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development APIS Annual Poverty Incidence Survey IYF International Youth Foundation ARMM Autonomous Region of Muslim LGU Local Government Unit Mindanao ASEM Asia Europe Meeting MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey AusAID Australian Agency for NCR National Capital Region International Development BNFE Bureau of Non-Formal Education NEDA National Economic Development Authority BPD Business Partners for NFE Non-Formal Education Development CAR Cordillera Administrative Region NGO Nongovermmental Organization CHED Commission for Higher Education NSO National Statistical Office CWC Council for the Welfare of NYC National Youth Commission Children CYFP Children and Youth Foundation of OSCY Out-of-School Children and Youth the Philippines DepED Department of Education PESFA Private Education Student Financial Assistance DILG Department of Interior and Local PESO Public Employment Services Office Government DOH Department of Health PEPT Philippine Educational Placement Test DOLE Department of Labor and POSCYD Philippine Out-of-School Children and Youth Employment Development (Project) DSWD Department of Social Welfare and PSBI Pearl S. Buck International Development DTS Dual Training System PTCAs Parent-Teacher Community Associations ECD Early Childhood Development SK Sangguiniang Kabataan EFA Education for All SUC State Universities and Colleges ERDA Educational Research and TESDA Technical Education and Skills Development Development Assistance Project Authority FELP Functional Education and Literacy TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Program Training FLEMMS Functional Literacy, Education, UNDP United Nations Development Program and Mass Media Survey FAD Foundation for Adolescent UNFPA United Nations Population Fund Development GDP Gross Domestic Product UNICEF United Nations International Children's Education Fund GOP Government of the Philippines Vice President: Jemal-ud-din Kassum, EAPVP Country Director: Robert Vance Pulley, EACPF Sector Director: Emmanuel Y. Jimenez, EASHD Task Team Leader: Jayshree Balachander, EASHD Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Table of Contents Acknowledgements ..........................................i Foreword ......................................... ii Executive Summary ......................................... iii Chapter One: Definition and Overview ..........................................1 Definition of Out-of-School Children and Youth .........................................1I Estimated Population and Composition ............................,.1 Distribution of OSCY ............................3 Education and Poverty ............................5 Employment ............................8 The Context ...8........................8 Summary and Key Issues ........................... 10 Chapter Two: Profile of Out-of-School Children and Youth ............................................... 11 Understanding OSCY: A Framework ............................................... 11 Self-Assessment Surveys ............................................... 11 Reasons for Being Out of School ............................................... 12 Socio-Economic Profile ............................................... 12 The Family ............................................... 12 Behavioral Issues ............................................... 13 Attitudes and Aspirations ............................................... 15 Participation ............................................... 15 Felt Needs ............................................... 15 Qualities of Out-of-School Children and Youth ............................................... 15 Summary and Key Issues ............................................... 17 Chapter Three: Policies and Programs ............................................... 18 Returns to Investment in Youth ............................................... 18 Constitutional and Legal Mandates ............................................... 18 Government Programs ............................................... 18 The Department of Education ............................................... 19 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority ............................................. 20 Department of Labor and Employment .............. ................................. 21 Department of Interior and Local Government ................................ ............... 22 Department of Social Welfare and Development ............................................... 22 Summary and Key Issues ............................................... 23 Chapter Four: Private Sector Programs and Projects .................... ........................... 24 Overview ............................................... 24 Private Sector Financing ............................................... 24 A Tri-Sector Model ............................................... 25 Illustrative Private Sector Programs and Projects ............................................... 26 Formal Basic Education ............................................... 26 Alternative Learning System ............................................... 27 Integrated Technical Evaluation ............................................... 28 Employment and Self-Employment ............................................... 29 Parenting Adolescents/Adolescent Health ............................................... 29 Summary and Key Issues ............................................... 30 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Chapter Five: Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................... 31 Recommendations ..................................................... 31 Keeping Children in School ..................................................... 32 Access Issues ..................................................... 32 Quality, Relevance and Community Participation ..................................................... 32 Demand for Education ..................................................... 34 Expanding Alternative Learning Systems ..................................................... 34 Strengthening Linkages with Labor Market Opportunities ........................................ 36 Improving Public and Private Response to the Needs of OSCY ................................ 37 Youth Participation ..................................................... 38 Concluding Remarks ..................................................... 40 Annex ...................................................... 41 Bibliography ..................................................... . 44 Tables ......................................................................................................................................... 1.1 Estimates of OSCY Population by Sex and Age Group .2 1.2 OSCY and Related Indicators - A Regional Perspective .4 1.3 School Participation Rates by Level and by Poverty Status .6 1.4 Distribution of School Dropouts by Income .6 1.5 Main Reason for Dropping Out of School .6 1.6 Comparative Unemployment Rates in East Asian Countries (1996) . 9 1.7 Comparative Fertility and Population Growth Rates (1980-1999) .9 Figures .................................................................................................................................... 1.1 OSCY Population: 1989, 1994, 1999 .2 1.2 OSCY Regional Population, 1994 .3 1.3 Proportion Currently Enrolled by Wealth Group, Ages 6-14 .6 1.4 Philippines Population Pyramid, 1998 .9 Boxes .................................................................................................................................... 1.1 School-Community-Based Marine Project-Improving the Relevance of Education .7 2.1 Youth At Risk: The Role of Social Capital .13 2.2 Youth with Special Needs .14 2.3 Out-of-School Youth Volunteers.16 3.1 Non-Formal Education Accreditation and Equivalency Program .19 3.2 Dual Training System .21 4.1 The Angelicum College Home Study Program .27 4.2 Educational Research and Development Assistance Program (ERDA) Tech . 28 4.3 Don Bosco Agro-Mechanical Training and Entrepreneurship Program .29 4.4 Foundation for Adolescent Development .33 5.1 Multigrade Education in Guatemala .33 5.2 El Salvador EDUCO Basic Education Modernization Project .33 5.3 Incentives Can Persuade Poor Families to Keep Children in School: International Experiences .35 5.4 Alternative Education Initiatives in Primary Education: The Non-formal Primary Education Program (NFPE) in Bangladesh .36 5.5 Technical Education in Gerany .37 5.6 Local Governments Partnering with Community Organizations .39 5.7 The Canadian Health Network (CHN) and Youth Participation .39 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Acknowledgements The report was prepared by Jayshree (CYFP). The author acknowledges the Balachander with inputs from Anna Webb, contribution of Ms. Fely Rixhon and her Bona Kim, Luis Benveniste, Myra Sanchez, team at CYFP in the preparation of Petra Reyes, David Ariasingam and Ronaldo background papers. A number of Oblepias. Sabrina Terry provided assistance Government agencies provided information with the production of the report. The Peer and written comments on earlier drafts of Reviewers were Myriam Waiser and the report including the Department of Stephen Commins (World Bank) and Aaron Social Welfare and Development, the Williams (International Youth Foundation). Technical Education and Skills Comments were received from Samuel Development Authority, the Department of Lieberman, Christopher Thomas, Lloyd Education, the Department of Labor and McKay, Elizabeth King, Teresa Ho and Employment, the Department of Interior and Heidi Hennrich-Hanson. The report draws Local Government, the National Youth on a number of background studies prepared Commission, the National Statistics Office in connection with the development of a and the National Economic Development multi-sector partnership project for Out-of- Authority. The offices of UNICEF and ILO School Children and Youth (OSCY and in Manila likewise provided information and Youth Foundation of the Philippines comments. i Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Foreword The stimulus for this report was provided by the total population of the Philippines. At least 10 availability of new information concerning out- million children and youth are neither in school of-school children and youth in the Philippines. nor gainfully employed. Given the many The information became available during the dimensions of youth issues, it was soon clear that the welfare of this subgroup of Out-of- preparation of a project for youth development Shoo Ch ilren and Yuth roCY wa a under the auspices of the World Bank's Business rel neglec a an one Of i asin Partners for Development (BPD) initiative. The relatavely neglected area and one of oireasig BPD is an effort to harness the private sector for stablt. Thr prvect wa designed t proide development in some key areas of the Bank's stablity The prot was for to pronal work such as education and the environment. . o for education, personal The International Youth Foundation (IYF) had development, acquisition of marketable skills advocated for the inclusion of youth and employment. It envisioned a multi-sectoral development under the BPD umbrella, and consortium of organizations including the helped launched the Global Partnership for government, donors, the corporate sector and Youth Development (GPYD). The Philippines non-government organizations partnering and was selected as a pilot country for the initiative, sharing resources to implement the program. Much of the information in this paper is derived The purpose of this report is to share with policy Muchrof the infoarhatond insthis peaper is d heri makers and implementers of youth programs in development and implementation of the pilot the Philippines and elsewhere, what has been effortpaleared about the OSCY situation in the Philippines - the extent of the problem, the The CYFP and the World Bank Office, Manila characteristics of OSCY, the legal and policy together with the Government of the Philippines framework, the interventions being implemented Department of Social Welfare and Development by different public and private agencies for their began working in 1998 to conceptualize the welfare, and the priorities and recommendations project. In the course of project preparation, the for future action based on a review of magnitude of the problem and the need for focus international experience. The report has been became clear. Children and youth (24 years of widely shared and discussed in the Philippines age or younger) account for an estimated 40 with different representatives of all sectors million persons or more than half of the including the youth themselves. ii - Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Executive Summary Situation Analysis factors-the household's assets, the production function related to human resources, public and 1. In 1999, the numbers of Philippine Out- private investments in youth, prices of inputs of-School Children and Youth (OSCY) was and expected outputs, etc. Much needs to be estimated to have reached 8.9 million, a nearly understood about the context, factors, and three fold increase in the intervening decade. pathways related to such decisions. A psycho- OSCY refers to those in the age group of 7-24 social profile of the average Filipino OSCY years, who are out of school, not enrolled in a constructed from a series of surveys and focus vocational or tertiary institution, and not group discussions revealed young persons from employed. A more appropriate breakdown is large and poor families, whose parents had only into two groups: children (7-14) and youth (15- an elementary education. The youth faced 24), reflecting different needs, circumstances, considerable social and economic pressures, and corresponding interventions. OSCY in the including pressure from parents to contribute to 7-14 age group are predominately male and household income or help with housekeeping, from rural areas. In the 15-24 age group, there and pressure from peers to try drugs or belong to are significantly more female OSCY, and they gangs. Almost all of them recognized the tend to migrate to urban areas in search of importance of an education, and the majority employment. The rapid increase in OSCY is a were interested in returning to school, if they reflection of the overall socio-economic could be supported with scholarships and circumstances of the country, including poverty, tutoring. OSCY were not more likely to be regional inequalities, a rapid population growth involved in illegal activities than other youth rate, sluggish economic growth, and low cohorts, such as youth in school, even though absorption of the labor force. The largest some of them sometimes reported resorting to numbers of OSCY are found in Metro Manila, illegal activities to earn money. Most were but the Visayas have the largest numbers in the aware of youth organizations, such as the 7-14 age group, and Mindanao and ARMM Sangguiniang Kabataan, but did not participate have the highest elementary school dropout in them because they deemed them to be mainly rates. The overwhelming majority of dropouts serving the political agendas of local politicians. come from poor families. Poverty is the They wanted health education (particularly overriding reason for dropping out of school, as information about drugs), scholarships, and job the direct and opportunity costs of education are opportunities for themselves and their families; substantial, even though school education is better information about programs for youth; supposed to be free. Other reasons for dropping and employment/training opportunities at the out include the perceived lack of relevance of local level. OSCY were evaluated to suffer from education and poor health of either the student low self-esteem, have poor control of emotions, or other family members. In the older age group lack perseverance, and to be in need of attention, (15-24 years), OSCY mainly comprise those but also to be talented, loving, and optimistic seeking work. Unemployment rates in the about the future. A little known fact about Philippines are much higher than in neighboring OSCY is that, despite their own difficult East Asian countries, and the phenomenon of circumstances, many of them volunteer to help youth unemployment is so severe as to mainly others. account for the overall high unemployment rate. Public Programs Psycho-Social Profile 3. There is considerable evidence that 2. OSCY result from behavioral decisions certain types of investments in youth yield at the level of the household and the individual. significant benefits. There are a large number of These decisions are determined by a number of public programs and policies for youth in the iii Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Philippines. Youth are protected under the programs and geographic coverage for OSCY constitution and granted rights of representation and to provide non-financial assistance (such as in local and national bodies. A Council for the training, sharing facilities or expertise) to Welfare of Children and a National Youth partners working for OSCY. A pilot project was Commission were created to plan for their developed under a tri-sector partnership among welfare and development. Two National Youth the government, the private sector, and donors, Development Plans have been prepared (1994- under the auspices of the World Bank's Business 98 and 1999-2004), and at least a dozen national Partner for Development Initiative for the agencies are involved in implementing programs development of out-of-school youth. The pilot for youth at an estimated cost of about US$20 was launched in 1999 to test the feasibility and million a year. The most significant of these viability of the partnership approach. The pilot include the Department of Education (DepED), confirmed the benefits of public-private the Technical Education and Skills Development partnership, such as synergy and leverage, but a Authority (TESDA), the Department of Labor number of challenges remain, including and Employment (DOLE), the Department of sustainability and scaling-up. Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development 5. Illustrative private sector projects can be (DSWD). Successful initiatives include categorized as those covering formal basic DepED's Non-Formal Education Accreditation education; alternative learning systems; and Equivalency system designed to provide an integrated technical, life skills and alternative alternative to the formal school system for education systems; employment programs; OSCY and the Dual Training System of parenting and health education programs; and TESDA, which combines classroom training youth participation. Efforts to return children to with hands-on experience. However the total school require that OSCY be provided financial number of beneficiaries under all the programs and tutorial services, and that parents be combined, is less than half a million per year. counseled and compensated for the opportunity Most of the programs serve few beneficiaries costs of keeping children in school. Alternative and are of very short duration. There is little or Learning Systems serve OSCY who cannot no coordination among or within agencies. Very return to the formal system. A good example is few of the programs have been evaluated. the Angelicum College self-paced learning modules, implemented with support from Private Sector Programs volunteer coordinators and tutors. Equivalency certificates are awarded to those who 4. There are about 150 private sector successfully complete the achievement test at agencies and foundations involved in the end of the learning module. Integrated implementing projects for youth. Their technical education refers to technical education initiatives are generally well rooted in the enriched with values education and, in some communities that are served and can be cases, the opportunity for equivalency classified as education, training, employment, certification. Employment and self-employment and leadership/life skills development programs. programs are likewise linked to training Program strengths include the commitment and initiatives, as in the case of the Don Bosco dedication of staff and clients, while weaknesses Agro-Mechanical Training and Agri- are the limited scale of the programs and lack of Entrepreneurship Project for Rural OSCY. The adequate funding for expansion. The combined Foundation for Adolescent Development budget for the programs is estimated to be provides a model Life/Health Education greater than US$10 million a year. Most Program for both adolescents and their parents. agencies were willing to consider expanding These efforts have also been successful in mobilizing youth by involving them in planning, mobilizing resources and monitoring activities. iv Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Conclusions and Recommendations wide consensus on what needs to be done, it is less clear exactly how the activities are to be 6. Based on the review, the report draws carried out, by whom, and how they will be the following conclusions about the OSCY financed. The report recommends focusing on situation in the Philippines. The Philippines is the following: faced with the problem of a large and rapidly growing OSCY population. OSCY drop out of a. Keeping children in school school mainly as a result of family poverty, and through a combination of supply-side many of them would like to return to school or interventions, including multi-grade participate in alternative learning systems. They education and community involvement also need to develop life skills and require in running schools, and a new set of parental support. Young people (15-24 years) demand-side interventions' mainly have the highest unemployment rates. While scholarships targeted to the poorest at- systemic policy and institutional changes are risk households, implemented in required to ensure sustainable and long-term partnership with the private sector. reductions in OSCY, some direct measures could have a significant impact. Existing public b. Expanding Alterate Learning programs reach a very small proportion of Systems, such as the Non-Formal OSCY, and are mostly palliative, short-term Education Accreditation and measures, with little coordination among or Equivalency (NFE A&E) program of within agencies. Private sector programs are more DepED, and model private programs, client-oriented, but much greater such as the Angelicum College Home networking, information sharing, and resource Study Program, which offer equivalency mobilization are required to scale up. The tri- with the formal system. sector partnership program created unique opportunities for OSCY programs, but major C. Reforming Technical and challenges remain to institutionalize the Vocational Education and Training approach. The lack of clear leadership for (TVET) so that it is linked to labor advocacy, information sharing, and coordination market opportunities and is responsive of OSCY programs is a major drawback. to local needs. 7. The Medium-Term Youth Development d. Monitoring, evaluating and Plan provides an appropriate framework and rationalizing the existing plethora of approach for the development of OSCY. Key rnmental programs andgimproving r ~~~~~governmental programs and Improving recommendations include the following: . . provide opportunities for OSCY to return to learto share expeinences and leverage formal education; develop alternative learnig tosr ces and lvrg r r ~~~~~~~~resources by partnership with programs for those who cannot return to the formal system; expand opportunities for training and apprenticeship/employment under the Dual e. Increasing youth participation Training System; obtain better labor market and meaningful youth involvement in information; expand entrepreneurship training designing and implementing programs. and strengthen opportunities for farm and non- farm employment in rural areas. While there is v Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Chapter One: Definition and Overview Definition of Out-of-School Children and Committee on Education and Manpower Youth Development Statistics, subscribe - OSCY are, respectively: 1.1 Children and youth below 25 years of age constitute nearly one-half of the total * 7 to 14 years old, and not enrolled in population of the Philippines, or about 40 any formal or vocational school; and million people. A significant and growing number are out-of-school and/or out-of-work, * 15 to 25 years old, not enrolled in falling into a category broadly defined as out-of- any formal or vocational school, not school children and youth.1 formally employed, and not a tertiary level graduate. 1.2 The National Youth Commission (NYC) classifies out-of-school youth as one of four sub- Estimated Population and Composition sectors in the youth sector; the others are in- school youth, working youth, and youth with 1.3 The Functional Literacy, Education and special needs.2 According to the NYC definition Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) conducted once of out-of-school children and youth (OSCY)-to every 5 years by the National Statistics Office which many entities, including the Interagency (NSO) provides estimates of the numbers of out- of-school children and youth 7-24 years of age. There is no single, fixed definition of the age range (See Table 1.1). The survey was conducted in for out-of-school children and youth. The Child and 1989 and repeated in 1994. In 1989, the OSCY Youth Welfare Code (PD603) defines children and population was 2.983 million, or 12.5 percent of youth as those below the age of 18. The Philippine the total youth population. Of these, about one- Republic Act, No. 8044-known as the Youth in third (0.9 million) were in the age group 7-14 Nation-Building Act-defines youth as "those years. In 1994, 3.837 million children and youth persons whose ages range from 15 to 30 years old." were out-of-school, or 15 percent of the total However, many govermnent agencies and private youth population. About 27% (1.015 million) sector organizations set 24 years of age as the upper were in the 7-14 years age group of OSCY. The limit, as does the United Nations World Program of FLEMMS was not repeated as scheduled in Action for Youth 2000. Individual government 1999, but, in that year, the NSO conducted an agencies define their target group based on each agency's mandate and programs. A study Annual Poverty Indicator Survey (APIS) which commnissioned by the Children and Youth Foundation put the estimated number of OSCY 6-24 years of the Philippines (CYFP), which covered 74 of age at 10 million, or about 34% of the governmental and nongovernmental organizations, population in that age group3. Of these, 1.1 academic institutions, and foundations, found that the million (12.5%) are 7-14 years old. majority defined out-of-school children and youth as between ages 7 and 25. 1.4 According to the data available from the Government Agency Definition surveys cited, the total number of OSCY in the Department of Social Welfare and 15-24 years age group 7-24 years is currently 8.9 million. Development (DSWD) (Figure 1.1). Of these, the percentage of 7-14- Department of Interior and Local 15-21 years year-olds has fallen from one-third in 1989 to Government (DILG) Department of Labor and 15-24 years one-eighth in 1998, while there has been a rapid Employment (DOLE) increase in the 15-24 years age group, with their Department of Health (DOH) 10-24 years Department of Education (DepED) 7-18 years 2 National Youth Commission. Philippine Medium- Term Youth Development Plan (MTYDP), 1999- 3 The equivalent population in the 7-24 age group is 2004. 111-113. 8.9 million. 1 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities numbers increasing more than fourfold in that male OSCY in the 15-24 years age group. (See decade. There are more boys than girls who are Table 1.1). out-of school in the 7-14 years age group. However, female OSCY significantly outnumber ,,X'.>.-iFigure 1.1: OSCY' Population: 198 .14 99 -rWO. --1 8,000,000 *. -0 00,000 _ ___ _ _ lf 'U-- O t0OOnQ00 ~~~~~3,87000 -'65'r000000 -- 4,000.000 2.930,000 I -t2,000.000 -- __ -;'tt210.000-_-. --- n - -; , ~~~1989 1994 l , 1 9e4, Table 1.1: Estimates of OSCY Population by Sex and Age Group (in 000s) 1989 1994 1998 2002 Age Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total 7-14 548 411 959 623 393 1,016 NA NA 1244 463 278 741 24- 530 1,496 2,025 929 1,892 2,821 NA NA 8902 5,096 3,975 9,071 Total 1,078 1,907 2,984 1,552 2,285 3,837 5,794 4,352 10,146 5,559 4,253 9,812 Source: FLEMMS 1989, 1994; APIS 1998; APIS 2002. 2 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Distribution of OSCY of OSCY in the age-group 7-14 is Eastern Visayas. 1.5 The largest numbers of OSCY are concentrated in the National Capital Region 1.6 Table 1.2 shows the regional variation (NCR) and surrounding areas. (Figure 1.2) If in some of the key correlates of OSCY: cohort the OSCY population in each region is broken survival rates in elementary and secondary down by age group (7-14 and 15-24), the schools, the extent of working children, and regions with the largest numbers of OSCY in the unemployment. The table shows that Mindanao age group 15-24 are still NCR, Southern has the most severe problems with regard to Tagalog, and Central Luzon. There is anecdotal keeping children in school, while unemployment evidence to suggest that OSCY ages 15-24 is most severe in the Visayas and NCR. migrate to NCR from all over the country. However, the region with the largest number Figure 1.2: OSCY Regional Population, FLEMMS, 1994 (in OOOs) 600 500 300 - 0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~15-24 Years -G *t @4M7-14 Years 0 National Capital Region (NCR); Cordillera Admninistrative Region (CAR); Regions: Region 1 (Ilocos); Region II (Cagayan); Region III (Central Luzon); Region IV (Southern Tagalog); Region V (Bicol); Region VI (Western Visayas); Region VII (Eastern Visayas); Region VIII (Central Visayas); Region XI (Western Mindanao); Region X (Northern Mindanao); Region XI (Southern Mindanao); Region XII (Central Mindanao). 3 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Table 1.2: OSCY and Related Indicators A Regional Perspective OSCY- % of Cohort Cohort % Families Unemployment Related OSCY' Survival Survival Rate with Working Rate4 Indicators by Rate (%): Children3 Region Elementary Secondary2 Philippines 69.3 71.0 15.2 13.3 NCR 13.5 81.6 71.5 14.7 17.7 CAR 1.0 68.3 77.3 16.6 10.9 Region 1 4.6 81.9 75.0 15.5 13.0 (Ilocos) Region 2 3.4 72.8 80.9 19.9 10.3 (Cagayan) Region 3 8.9 82.2 75.3 8.9 12.1 (Central Luzon) Region 4 12.6 78.2 75.6 10.2 13.3 (Southern Tagalog) Region 5 6.3 69.0 67.9 20.8 11.7 (Bicol) Region 6 7.6 65.3 73.4 17.1 15.5 (Westem Visayas) Region 7 8.9 68.9 74.3 15.4 15.5 (Eastern Visayas) Region 8 5.8 61.6 66.2 18.8 13.8 (Central Visayas) Region 9 5.5 54.8 63.7 17.8 12.1 (Western Mindanao) Region 10 7.0 67.1 67.0 33.5 8.3 (Northern Mindanao) Region 11 7.9 64.2 67.0 22.9 12.5 (Southern Mindanao) Region 12 3.3 58.5 64.8 24.6 11.1 (Central Mindanao) ARMM 3.7 32.8 66.4 15.5 6.9 'FLEMMS, 1994. 2DOE Statistical Bulletin, CY 2000-01. 3NSO, APIS, 1998. 4NSO Labor Force Survey, 2000. 4 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Education and Poverty important reason for dropping out for boys, while a significant number of girls cited 1.7 Per capita household income is a key housework as the reason for dropping out. determinant of school participation rates. (See Table 1.3). 1.11 Poor households also respond to external shocks by taking children out of school, 1.8 The gap between the participation rates as evident in the aftermath of the East Asian of the poor and the non-poor4 at the secondary financial crisis.7 Relevant expenses for level is 21 percentage points, compared to 3 schooling include miscellaneous fees, uniforms percentage points at the elementary level. Data and school supplies, transportation, and food by income quintile show that 90% of children allowances. Transportation costs account for from the highest quintile have high school about 50 percent of total costs; uniforms and diplomas, compared with 30% of those in the schools supplies, 26 percent (a particularly high poorest quintile. More than 80% of dropouts in expenditure for the poor at 35 percent); and the 7-14 age group are poor. (See Table 1.4). fees, which are collected by or on behalf of public primary schools, e.g., Parent-Teacher 1.9 Figure 1.3 shows the proportion of Community Associations (PTCAs). Average children aged 6-14 years who are currently private school costs (P 20,658 per child per enrolled in school by wealth group. The three school year) are nearly ten times as high as lines correspond to the wealthiest 20%, the public school costs (P 2,023). middle 40% and the poorest 40% of the population. At any given age, a lower 1.12 Lack of interest and motivation is the proportion of poor children is enrolled in school second most important reason for dropping out. than in the higher wealth groups. The gap is In the consultations conducted for the purposes widest at the lower elementary and upper of this report, and in the documents reviewed, secondary grade levels.5 poor quality of education was cited as a reason for lack of interest. The factors associated with 1.10 Poverty is the overriding reason for poor quality education included lack of dropping out of school, as confirmed by a textbooks, furniture, equipment, and supplies; number of surveys. The impact is greater in the ill-prepared teachers; and crowded classrooms. lower age group (7-12 years). (See Table 1.5.) Moreover, the apparent lack of relevance of Both the direct costs and the opportunity costs of what is taught in school to the lives and sending a child to school are considerable, even livelihoods of many rural, agricultural, and though school education is supposed to be free.6 fishing communities is a further cause for non- Further pressure to seek employment is an attendance. (See Box 1.1). 4Poor families are those whose per capita incomes fall below the poverty threshold of P13,800 in urban areas and below P 1,168 in rural areas. 5 Filipino Report Card on Pro-Poor Services (Vol. 1) English May 30, 2001 Sector Report, the World Bank, Washington, DC., op cit., pp. 43-44 6Even minor costs, such as those associated with birth registration, can be a deterrent. Children who 7 National Statistics Office. Family Income and are never registered cannot enroll in school. Expenditure Survey, 1997. 5 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Table 1.3: School Participation Rates by Level and by Poverty Status Poor Non-Poor All Elementary 90.8 93.6 92.0 Secondary 53.5 74.2 63.8 Tertiary 11.9 30.5 23.6 Source: APIS, 1998 Table 1.4: Distribution of School Dropouts by Income (%) Age Group Poor Non-Poor 7-12 81.6 18.4 13-16 68.7 31.3 Source: APIS, 1998 Figure 1.3: Proportion Currently Enrolled by Wealth Group, Ages 6 to 14 (Philippines, 1998) 1.1 0.8- 0c7 - - Richest cf 01- i o I- 0.5 - --V 1 ~ ~~~~~~~~~~u-Middle 14tJ 1¾- I.-.~~ f .,F.I .I Poorest 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Age in Years Table 1.5: Main Reason for Dropping Out of School (%) TESDA 1989 FLEMMS NYC/SWS APIS 1998 1994 1998 High Cost of Education 20 19 56 21 Employment/Looking for Work 6 13 9 27 Housekeeping 31 26 1 10 Lack of Personal Interest 21 22 9 21 Disability/Illness 5 8 3 9 Other 17 12 22 12 TESDA: 1988 Youth Survey 6 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Box 1.1: School-Community-Based Marine Project - Improving the Relevance of Education Anibong is a fishing village where 80% of households depend on marine resources for their livelihood. Children work side-by-side with parents from early evening to break of dawn. Tired children catch up on sleep during the day and do not attend classes. Elder siblings often stay at home to cook and care for the young, as mothers sell their catch during the day. Absenteeism is about 22% on average. However, parents are not alarmed, because they believe that children learn more on the job than by attending school. Based on this feedback, the Anibong Elementary School proposed making their curriculum more relevant to the community. Under the School Innovation and Improvement Fund of the Third Elementary Education Project, they proposed the conversion of foreshore land into a "sea-farm," or a marine ecology laboratory. Pupils would spend about two hours a week of their environmental science classes planting and feeding the cultured "alimango" and shells; providing holds for squid, shrimp and fish; cleaning the area, etc. The municipal fisheries expert will provide technical assistance, and the local government, will provide counterpart funding to ensure sustainability. Any proceeds from the sale of the items on the farm will be used to purchase supplies for the school's supplementary feeding program. While the project is still under implementation, the initial response of the community and interest in the project are encouraging. Source: Ma. Fe. D. Pastor, Anibong Elementary School, Negros Oriental. 7 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Employment of the poor. Poverty also appears to be positively correlated with household size, since 1.13 Philippines has one of the highest it is highest among households with seven or overall unemployment rates in the region, as more members.' Families with heads of well as one of the highest rates of households who have no more than an unemployment among youth, with about a third elementary education account for over 75 of the eight million youth in the labor force out percent of total poverty. of work. (See Table 1.6). In a scenario of slow absorption of labor, young workers are at a 1.15 Regional inequalities are significant. disadvantage overall, given their lack of labor The poverty headcount ranges from 3.5 percent market experience and low productivity. This in Metropolitan Manila to 87.5 percent in Sulu situation is further exacerbated during periods of province in the Autonomous Region of Muslim economic crisis, because of both a slowdown in Mindanao (ARMM). Among regions, Bicol has hiring and seniority practices. School dropouts the largest number of poor, while the incidence are doubly disadvantaged, not only because of of poverty is somewhat higher in Eastern perceived lack of skills and experience, but also Visayas and the ARMM. Regional differences because of prejudice, as reported by several in poverty rates are reflected in differences in agencies supporting out-of-school youth.' other social indicators. Functional literacy ranges from a low of 48 percent in the province The phenomenon of youth unemployment is so severe in the Philippines that it has even been 1.16 of Basilan in Western Mindanao to a suggested that it is the main unemployment high of almost 93 percent in Cavite in Southern issue, and, if addressed, would largely solve the Luzon. Enrollment rates in primary and unemployment problem in the Philippines.9 secondary school range from a low of 43 percent in the province of Sulu in ARMM to 99 percent The Context in the Mountain Province of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Life expectancy 1.14 The problem of out-of-school children ranges from a low of 52 years in the province of and youth is an offshoot of difficulties in the Tawi-Tawi in ARMM to a high of 71 years in broader socio-economic environment. As the province of Pampanga in Central Luzon." discussed, poor families have the largest share of OSCY, and poverty in the Philippines remains Another factor that exacerbates the OSCY relatively high. Illiteracy, low school enrollment problem is the age population structure of the rates, and unemployment are all significantly Philippines (typical of developing countries), correlated with poverty. In 1997, 25 percent of with a very young population, more than half of the population, or 18.2 million persons, had which is under the age of 25 (Figure 1.4). The consumption levels below the poverty threshold. Philippines has one of the highest fertility and The rural poor account for about 77 percent of population growth rates in the region (Table all the poor, and the agriculture sector (in which 1.7). As a result, the country is faced with a poverty is highest) accounts for over two-thirds bulge in its youth population until at least 2020. 8Employers' reluctance to hire school dropouts was mentioned by several NGOs interviewed for this report. Street children and youth offenders suffer even greater prejudice. 9 Canlas, D. "Unemployment and Monetary Policy in 1o Ibid., p. 4. The correlation between poverty and the Philippines," in E. Emmanuel and K. Ito, eds., household size is based on per capita consumption as Employment, Human Capital and Job Security: the welfare measure, which may not be adequate. Recent Perspectives on Philippine Labor (Tokyo, 11 Human Development Network and UNDP, 1997). Philippine Human Development Report, 2000. 8 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Table 1.6: Comparative Unemployment Rates in East Asian Countries, 1996 (%) Total Unemployment among Unemployment 1 5-24-year-olds Male Female Philippines 10.1 25.9 33.9 Indonesia 5.4 12.2 15.0 Korea 6.8 9.3 6.0 Thailand 5.2 2.6 11.2 Source: Betcherman and Islam. 2000 East Asian Labor Markets and the Economic Crisis. World Bank, Washington, DC. Figure 1.4: Philippines Population Pyramid, 1998 17~~~~~~~~~~~~~7 E Male 0 Female I I_I_ _ 6000000 4000000 2000000 0 2000000 4000000 6000000 Table 1.7: Comparative Fertility and Population Growth Rates, 1980-1999 (%) Total Fertility Rate Population Growth Rate Philippines 3.6 2.3 China 1.9 1.3 Indonesia 2.7 1.8 Korea 1.6 1.1 Thailand 1.9 1.3 Source: The World Bank: World DevelopmentIndicators.2000 9 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Summary and Key Issues Visayas. There is evidence that OSCY move to the National Capital Region (Metro Manila and 1.17 Definition of OSCY. The lack of a surroundings) from the provinces. single definition of out-of-school youth has made it difficult to track numbers and coordinate 1.20 Keeping Children in School. The key welfare programs. Formalizing the widely solution to the problem of out-of-school children accepted National Youth Commission (NYC) and youth is to prevent them from leaving definition and separating the group into two school in the first place. Household income is cohorts - the school age group (7-14) and the the most important determinant of school working age group (15-24) -would facilitate participation. Poverty and the direct or problem analysis and subsequent action. opportunity costs of education are the main reasons for dropping out. Poor quality and lack 1.18 Magnitude and Rapid Increase of of relevance in education are other important OSCY. It is estimated that there are currently causes for the high dropout rates. between 8 and 10 million OSCY in the Philippines, and that their number has trebled in 1.21 Emploment. There are 2.5 million the last decade. OSCY 15-24 years of age OSCY in the age group 15-24 actively seeking account for the bulk of the increase, partly as a employment. The rate of growth in employment result of demographics, and partly due to a has not kept pace with the rate of growth in the sluggish economy. The magnitude and increase population of OSCY. OSCY are particularly in this category of young persons has begun to disadvantaged in the job market with respect to have significant implications, for, among other qualifications, skills, and experience, and they issues, political stability and security. are likely to be subject to prejudice. 1.19 Distribution of OSCY. The largest 1.22 The Wider Context. The OSCY issue is number of OSCY is concentrated in the National only a manifestation of problems in the wider Capital Region. However, the highest rates of socio-economic context, including issues of increase of OSCY populations and the highest poverty, regional inequalities, high population drop-out rates, particularly in elementary school, growth, poor economic performance, and weak have been in the provinces of Mindanao and institutions. ARMM. Unemployment has been highest in the 10 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Chapter Two. Profile of Out-of-School Children and Youth Understanding OSCY: A Framework Self-Assessment Surveys 2.1 The data presented in the preceding 2.2 A number of recent surveys and focus chapter suggests that OSCY in the Philippines group discussions with OSCY provide represent a group caught up in a vicious cycle of background information, their problems, poverty, low levels of education, and few families, characteristics, and aspirations that opportunities for employment in a sluggish might explain some behavioral decisions. In economy. While this picture provides the 1996 and 1997, Social Weather Stations, a backdrop, it does not provide insight into the prominent opinion polling agency, was engaged different behavioral decisions taken by by the National Youth Commission (NYC) to households and individuals that result in the conduct two surveys with the objective of better decision to drop out of school. Such decisions understanding Filipino youth aged 15-24 are influenced by a number of factors, such as years."3. The earliest available survey is from a abilities, motivation, family situation, health, TESDAINSO survey in 1988.'4 In 2001, the etc. Knowles and Behrman,12 in discussing NYC and the Department of Social Welfare and analytical frameworks to understand the Development conducted surveys in Metro determinants of investment in youth, Manila among OSCY who participated in pro- demonstrate that a household's investment in Estrada demonstrations15. Most recently, in youth is determined by their assets (physical, September 2001, the Department of Social financial, and human endowments), production Welfare and Development, together with the function related to human resources, public and National Youth Commission, organized a private services related to investments in youth National Youth Summit in Manila, preceded by (schools, etc.), and the current and expected youth summits in each of the 16 regions.16 The prices of inputs used in investments in youth and most extensive work was done in 1998 in a for outcomes of the investments. Households series of studies conducted by the Children and will invest in a given individual such that Youth Foundation of the Philippines (CYFP) for marginal private benefits equal marginal private the OSCY Consortium, during which 50 focus costs. The marginal private benefit curve will group discussions were held with over 400 past vary among individuals due to direct or indirect and present youth clients of 50 agencies in eight causes such as: (i) one has greater endowments different regions.17 While this research was not that are rewarded in schooling or post-schooling labor markets; (ii) has lower discount rates, or 13 Social Weather Stations. National Study on the Situation opportunity costs for time in school so that of Youth in the Philippines: Report for the National Youth future benefits have greater value; and (iii) the Commission, April 1996 and Second National Study on Youth, November 1997. returns are more likely to accrue or be available 14 National Manpower and Youth Council/NSO, Survey on to the investor, etc. Much more needs to be Youth, August 1989. learned and understood about such behavioral 15 Govemment of the Philippines: National Youth decisions, their context and the factors and Commission/Department of Social Welfare, Out-of- pathwas bywhich an impact in one area affects School/Out-of Work Youth Survey, 2001. pathways by 16 Pambansang Ugon ng Kabataan (PUNK) 2001, others. September 24-30, 2001. 17 National Capital Region, Western Mindanao (Region IX), Northern Mindanao (Region X), Central Visayas (Region VII), Southern Mindanao (Region XI), Southern Tagalog (Region IV), Eastem Visayas (Region VIII), and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR). With the exception of CAR, the other regions had the highest 12 J.C. Knowles and J.R. Behrman, "Assessing the percentage of out-of-school youth of all regions; CAR was Economic Returns of Investing in Youth in Developing included in order to obtain representation from areas where Countries." March 2003, World Bank Discussion Paper. there are cultural minorities. Nearly half of the participants 11 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities as rigorous as formal tracer studies, there are urban and rural areas, the out-of-school youth some commonly recurring themes. come from large families, where the tendency is for the elder children to give way to the younger Reasons for Being Out of School siblings in terms of educational opportunities. There is a significant incidence of drug abuse 2.3 Most of the participants gave financial among the youth or within their immediate problems as the primary reason for being out of environment. The participants' parents typically school. Factors that contributed to financial married in their teens, and most were unable to difficulties included poverty, prioritization of finish high school.'9 education for other siblings, and high tuition fees. In addition, family problems were 2.5 Youth in farm areas marry at an early commonly cited, and these included parents' age and do not continue education after separation, parental neglect and abuse, conflict marriage. The families of rural out-of-school between child and parent, and child rebellion. youth own their homes and lots, plus a small Other participants were out of school because farm of one to five hectares. Rural out-of-school their parents or persons providing support died, youth can rely on self-employment as an income developed an illness, or were disabled, and they source, e.g., farming, carpentry, embroidery, and then had to take care of younger siblings or start sewing. In urban areas, the families of out-of- working. Some participants had to work and school youth are mostly migrants from the recuperate from illnesses themselves. Some provinces, and a large number of these youth are participants cited personal problems that squatters or reside with relatives. Urban out-of- constrained continuation of their studies, such as school youth seek odd jobs on construction laziness, lack of readiness or interest, and early projects and automotive shops, among others. motherhood. Some gave negative peer influence Urban female out-of-school youth have a limited and pressure as a reason for discontinuing their range of employment opportunities - usually as studies.'8 storekeeper's aides or domestic helpers.20 Socio-Economic Profile The Family 2.4 In every survey, data showed that out- 2.6 The family plays a significant role in the of-school children and youth participants came lives of out-of-school youth. (See Box 2.1.) overwhelmingly from low-income families, There is strong parental influence in the decision predominantly single income-earner families, or for a child to stop his or her education- families whose primary income sources are deference to the authority of the parent is not seasonal in nature, such as farming or questioned as far as the youth is concerned. construction work. The majority of participants' Parents are their children's number one role parents had elementary education only. In both models, whatever their situation. The mother is viewed as the youth's confidant and teacher. interviewed were clients of agencies based in Metro Family togetherness is the primary source of joy. Manila; 53 percent were male and were in the age group 15 Conversely, separation, death, and disagree- to 18; 75 percent were single; and in the case of ethnic ments among family members cause the youth groups, participants were Kankanaeys, the Ifontocs, and the grief and stress and greatly affect their mental Maguindanaoans. Livelihood skills training programs are 21 designed to provide participants with skills for wage state. employment or self-employment. Typically these programs may cover agricultural skills, basic household chemicals, building materials, woodworking, craft-making, and sewing. See Stewart Hall, Nonformal Education in the Philippines, Technical Background Paper No. 7, The 1998 Philippines Education Sector Study, 1999, p.4. 18 Children and Youth Foundation of the Philippines. 19 Muslim youth and youth from CAR also tend to marry Study on the Programs of Government Organizations, early. SWS/NYC: op cit. pp. 12. NGOs Academic Institutions and Foundations for Out-of- 20 Ibid., pp. 7-8 School Youth. November, 1998. Ibid., p. 71. 21 Ibid., pp. 8-9 12 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Box 2.1: Youth At Risk-The Role of Social Capital Empirical evidence has shown that it is often the lack of social capital which hinders young people from reaping the benefits of human capital investments. Social capital is embedded in relations among persons and is relatively intangible. Lack of social capital has been defined as the absence of stable family environments, and of supportive parental attitudes, networks, and role models that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit. Studies have shown that youth who suffer from lack of good social capital tend to fare poorly in school and have an increased probability of dropping out and experiencing lower returns to their schooling investments. Studies have documented the important effects of neighborhood peer influences on youth behavior. Youths residing in a neighborhood in which a substantial portion of young people is involved in crime or uses illegal drugs have significantly higher probabilities of exhibiting analogous behaviors than do youths with similar family backgrounds and personal characteristics living in neighborhoods in which a small fraction of young people is engaged in such activities. Empirical evidence from Latin America has documented that the educational climate of the household is one of the most important indicators of differences in educational attainment and the opportunity for social mobility among children and youth. Others have argued that, during recent decades, there has been a rise in perverse social capital, which is reflected in the consolidation of informal and illegal activities in environments which foster alternative forms of moral and social cohesion. While it is not surprising that students from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds tend to be low academic achievers, their situation underscores the importance of providing special assistance to promote equal opportunity. Source: Miriam. Schneider. July 31, 1996 Targeting At-Risk Youth: Rational Approaches to Service Delivery and Monitoring and Evaluation Issues. Washington, DC: World Bank. Behavioral Issues (1996)22 collected information on knowledge, attitude, and behavior related to sex, smoking, It is noteworthy that OSCY were not more likely drinking, and drug use, together with to be involved in illegal activities such as drugs, background information on individuals and the robbery, gangs, or gambling than other youth family from a national sample of about 11,000 cohorts, such as youth in school or working males and females ages 15 to 24. The youth. However, many OSCY periodically felt experience of being out of school and living pressure to belong to gangs or to engage in away from parents was identified as likely to unlawful activities such as drugs, gambling, or increase the probability of risk taking. Some petty crimes in order to earn money. In Negros young people reported that out-of-school youth Occidental, the Revolutionary Proletarian Army are vulnerable to societal ills and are a has been recently engaging in the recruitment of neglected, stigmatized youth subsectors.23 In OSCY in exchange for money. In ARMM, this respect, they are like other vulnerable OSCY find themselves caught in the middle of groups identified as those with special needs. warring factions which demand loyalty in (See Box 2.2). exchange for security. Some out-of-school youth were involved in substance abuse, gangsterism, and criminality. The situation of out-of-school youth can sometimes lead to premarital sex and marriage, including marriage as an escape from unhappy family 22 Xenos, Peter (2002). Asia's Youth at Risk: A circumstances. A Young Adults Fertility Survey Review of Issues and Research. East-West Center, Hawaii. 23 Ibid., pp. 71-72 13 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Box 2.2: Youth with Special Needs There are other vulnerable groups of children who are out of school, but whose circumstances warrant special attention and action: Children who work in agriculture: Nearly 17 percent of an estimated 22 million children 5 to 17 years old are working.24 Almost 7 of 10 working children (84 percent male, and 65 percent female) were unpaid workers on their family farms.25 Children in agricultural communities are the "invisible hands that till the lands, the invisible 'un-enrolled' who may never be counted in the educational statistics."26 They have limited access to schools, health stations, and other forms of services, e.g., credit schemes for income-generating or livelihood projects. Children who work in mines and quarries: This group of children, on their own or with their parents, are the most vulnerable in terms of health and nutritional risks, and are the least likely to be reached by any educational program, even non-formal education, at the current level of program coverage, either because programs are absent in the areas where they live, or because parents are not supportive of any aspiration of a child to enter formal schools because it would interfere with the child's full-time work.27 Sexually exploited children: Sexually exploited children are another group least likely to have any access to formal and non-formal education, especially if they are migrants and are on their own. They are most vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, predisposed to HIV/AIDS, and face the risk of addiction and physical harm.28 A 1994 estimate placed the number of sexually exploited, prostituted, or trafficked children at around 40,000.29 Street children: The total number of street children is estimated at about 200,000; one-half live on the streets of Metro Manila.30 Some street children have stopped school and work full-time in the streets, but many still go to school.31 Street children are at the highest risk of substance abuse, which is a coping mechanism for them. Children and youth involved in armed conflict: Children in areas of armed conflict discontinued their education because of the dangers of being attacked or taken hostage. In some areas, schools have been converted to evacuation centers. Children and youth are also recruited as child soldiers. In August 2000, DSWD reported that 3 8 cases of forcible recruitment had been reported to DSWD field offices. The only available estimate of the total number of child soldiers in the Philippines puts the number at about 50,000.32 24 Jeanne Frances I. Illo and Sylvia Bagadion-Engracia. For Children Who Toil, A Report on Sustainable Action against Child Labor in the Philippines, Institute of Philippine Culture, Ateneo de Manila University in conjunction with the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, International Labour Organization, 1998, p. 1 25 Ibid., p. 21 26 Feny de los Angeles-Bautista and Joanna C. Arriola. To Learn and to Earn, Education and Child Labor in the Philippines, A Country Report, Working Paper Series, International Labour Organization, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, Manila, Philippines, December 1995, p. 23 27 Ibid., p. 23 28 Ibid., p. 23 29 Quoted in Angeles-Bautista and Arriola, 1995. End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism, 1994. Tourism and Child Prostitution in Cebu. Quezon City: EPCAT-Philippines, 1994 30 Department of Social Welfare and Development, Annual Report 1999. The study sponsored by UNICEF, DSWD, and the National Council of Social Development stated in the 1994-1998 National Development Plan estimated the number of street children as 1.5 million. Quoted in Resiliency, Stories Found In Philippine Streets, by Cornelio G. Banaag, Jr. (UNICEF, AusAID, National Project for Street Children, 1997, p. 5) 31 Cornelio G. Banaag, Jr. Resilience, Stories Found in Philippine Streets, AusAID, National Project of Street Children, and UNICEF, 1997, p. 4 32 Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 14 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Attitudes and Aspirations Felt Needs 2.7 While a small percentage of OSCY in 2.9 The top 3 programmatic needs identified each study did not see attending school as worth by OSCY were anti-drug education, the time, effort, and resources, especially in scholarships, and job opportunities. Most view of the numbers of educated unemployed, recommended that existing programs, services, the majority was interested in returning to and activities for out-of-school youth extend school. The two most important aspirations their coverage to include more clients, and that were to have a good education and get a stable livelihood opportunities should be facilitated for job. The youth believe that education leads to a the youth who need to work, as well as their good, steady, and decent job, and they would unemployed parents.33 With regard to the youth finish their studies if family resources permitted, themselves, they recommend that change should or if a scholarship were to become available. come about through self-motivation. They They hoped for an opportunity to return to asked for support with moral and spiritual school and that other family members might find development and values formation. They jobs to lessen the financial pressures on them wanted to avoid the negative influence of peers, and perhaps enable them to return to school. vices, and drugs. They also asked that programs The NYC/DSWD survey confirmed that a be broadened to raise the awareness of youth significant proportion (about 40%) of OSCY regarding the dangers of drug abuse and other was interested in returning to school. Most were matters pertaining to health. They wanted more seeking to be employed. However, OSCY felt sports and recreational activities to be discriminated against when seeking employment available.34 or other opportunities for advancement, as compared to their peers in school. Qualities of Out-of-School Children and Youth Participation 2.10 In July 2001, an assessment workshop 2.8 Most OSCY were aware of the was held with participants representing 21 Sangguiniang Kabataan (SK), an elected youth organizations that implement projects for out-of- committee of which the Chairman is an ex- school children and youth.35 Workshop officio member of the local government. participants assessed their clients to be typical, However, the majority did not participate in SK normal youngsters, full of energy, easily activities. They deemed the SK to be highly influenced, impatient, and short tempered, but political and geared to promoting dynastic also loving and respectful. They seemed to politics. They did not have much information suffer from low self-esteem and some had low about government programs and were concerned that any opportunities that existed would be 3 Livelihood skills training programs are designed to difficult to access without political support, or Lidelihood skills fora e esignt strong academic skills and would mostly be provide participants with skills for wage employment available in urban areas. They wanted or self-employment. Typically these programs may available in urban areas. They wanted cover agricultural skills, basic household chemicals, information on programs and opportunities to be building materials, woodworking, craft making, and made available at the local (barangay) level, in sewing. See Stewart Hall, Non-Formal Education in order to increase opportunities for education, the Philippines, Technical Background Paper No. 7, particularly scholarship and alternative learning The 1998 Philippines Education Sector Study, 1999, programs. Skill development programs needed p. 4 to be suited to their economic reality. They 34 Ibid., p. 72 recognized the need for life skills including 35 Children and Youth Foundation of the Philippines, leadership, organization, and reproductive Philippine Out-of-School Children and Youth healthi Development Project, Sub-Project Assessment health. Workshop, Sulo Hotel, Quezon City, July 24-26, 2001. 15 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities motivation. However, they were optimistic and humility; one had to be humble and patient about the future and aspired to a better life. One in order to learn from the out-of-school youth of the workshop participants characterized out- who have much to offer. of-school children and youth as "having many hurts inside" and needing a lot of healing. 2.12 A little-known fact about out-of-school children and youth that deserves attention is 2.11 Another participant said that working their spirit of volunteerism and participation as with out-of-school youth required both patience volunteers (See Box 2.3). Box 2.3: Out-of-School Youth Volunteers What is not publicized or well known is the fact that some out-of-school youth undertake volunteer activities, despite their impoverished circumstances, frequently difficult family circumstances, social biases against them, and oftentimes, their own lack of self-confidence and feeling of self-worth. The following are brief vignettes of youth volunteers whose generosity of spirit is making a difference in the lives of the many children, youth, and adults whom they serve: * A 17-year-old high school undergraduate, who wishes to study the fine arts, comes from an extremely depressed, poor urban neighborhood that lacks water and sanitation, electricity, and adequate housing. This youth is a community health volunteer trained as a "first-aider" by the Red Cross. Among the first- aider activities are hygiene and sanitation education, cleaning and dressing minor cuts and wounds, and referring persons in need of medical treatment to appropriate health facilities. * At an urban technical training institute, 125 high school undergraduates from poor families are volunteer blood donors and respond to every request for blood donations. * A 19-year-old high school undergraduate who aspires to be an electrical engineer volunteers in a big brother/small brother story-telling program in his poor urban neighborhood. Everyone benefits from the story-telling program: the young children are not only entertained, but also acquire language and reading skills; the youth volunteers become role models, thereby gaining self-confidence; and the community takes pride in the volunteer as one of its own. * Three hundred poor high school undergraduates, who are enrolled in continuing education and vocational entrepreneurship classes, are organizing into "action teams," which function as support groups for collective efforts and actions. One team has formed study groups in its community. A second team has begun an environmental cleanup that includes recycling cellophane and plastic straws, which are then used to make decorative items. A third team is in the process of building public toilets with assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. * A 17-year-old high school undergraduate from a poor, urban neighborhood would like to be a flight attendant, and, in fact, will be the first person from the neighborhood to attain a high school equivalency certificate. This youth does volunteer work with children who have been abused, helping them to overcome the trauma of abuse. 16 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Summary and Key Issues 2.16 Life Skills Training. Out-of-school children and youth experience stress and 2.13 The Framework. Household pressures due to their situation, are behavioral decisions-in particular the vulnerable to harmful influences, and, in decision to invest in youth-are determined many cases, are stigmatized by society. by a number of factors, including the price They not only need educational paid by households for such investments, opportunities, but also support in developing other potential uses of such resources, life skills, including interpersonal relations expected benefits and future prices, genetic and communication skills, coping with endowments, and school characteristics. In emotions and stress in positive ways, critical addition, a number of family and individual thinking and decision-making skills, and characteristics, including personal setting goals for productivity and success. motivation and parental relations, also impact such decisions. Social capital also 2.17 Parental Involvement and Support appears to be a determinant in the ability to for Parents. The parents of out-of-school stay in school. children and youth need to be supported and counseled to enable children to stay in 2.14 Risk Factors. Factors for dropping school. In most cases, parents are the key out of school identified in the OSCY factor in the decision to drop out. Parents surveys include low-income households, also need to be more involved with their especially those with parents who had not children, and especially need support in completed high school; children in single understanding teenagers and improving their parent families; parents in hostile parenting and other life skills. relationships or ill-health; recent migrants to urban areas; and neighborhoods with large 2.18 Limited Reach of OSCY Programs. numbers of out-of-school youth. The vast majority of OSCY are not being reached through special programs currently 2.15 Alternative Learning. Children in in place. Youth place high priority on anti- the 7-14 age group expressed a clear desire drug campaigns, scholarships, and to return to school, circumstances employment programs. Those who had permitting. Youth 15 to 24 years are not participated in programs stressed the likely to return to formal schooling, but importance of competent and committed expressed a keen interest in instructors, proper training equipment and employment/livelihood opportunities, and facilities, and holistic approaches to training. alternative learning systems to achieve high school equivalency and to attend or finish technical/vocational education training. 17 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Chapter Three: Policies and Programs Returns to Investment in Youth The NYC coordinated the preparation of a Medium-Term Youth Development Plan 3.1 Household behavioral decisions (1999-2004). The Plan attributed the about investing in youth can be affected growing population of OSCY to the overall directly or indirectly by public policies and economic climate and shortfall in job programs. While there are gaps in our creation, and identified the following knowledge about the rate of return on such strategies to assist OSCY: improving the investments, available evidence suggests quality and relevance of education, and that there are some high-retum investments improving access to education; expanding in youth in developing countries.36 choice by providing altemative leaming Examples include demand-side investments systems; providing labor market in formal schooling, adult basic education information; and monitoring and evaluating for adolescents, and some school health and OSCY programs.38 reproductive health services. Moreover, Government Programs there are efficiency reasons for using public resources in addition to private resources to 3.3 A number of goverment agencies make such investments because of market implement programs targeted at youth, failures related to capital, insurance, and including OSCY-the Departments of information. Education (DepED), Interior and Local Constitutional and Legal Mandates Govemment (DILG), Labor (DOLE), Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the 3.2 The constitutional, legal, and Technical Education and Skills institutional framework for investing in Development Authority (TESDA). A listing youth is well established in the Philippines. and description of the programs is included youh i wll stblihe inth Phlipins. in Annex 1. There are more than 40 The Constitution enjoins the State to ensure mfAnt 1. overe and the target the "physical, moral, spiritual and social different programs overall, and they target well being of youth," and guarantees the the 15-24-year age group. However, their right to formal education and to coverage IS quite low, estimated as less than opportunities for non-formal leaming 10% of OSCY. Efforts to keep children in systems, out-of-school study, and vocational school are mainly directed at improving the training programs. The Local Government education system, rather than at special Code mandates youth representation in all programs targeted at school dropouts or local bodies through the Sangguiniang those at risk. For the 15-24 age group, the Kabataan (SK).37 The Child and Youth Non-Formal Accreditation and Equivalency Welfare Code (1974) created an interagency Program and the Dual Training System Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) appear to hold considerable promise, but the under 18 years of age, and Republic Act No. scale of these programs is quite small. 8044 created the National Youth Taken together, the existing govemment Commission (NYC). The NYC was effort for OSCY can be characterized as mandated to provide leadership in comprising a large number of small formulating policies and programs for youth. programs, with poor coordination among 36 Knowles and Behrman. op cit., p. 9. 37 In practice, the institution seems to be serving 31 National Youth Comnmission. Philippine a limnited agenda of launching young Filipinos Medium-Term Youth Development Plan, 1999- with political connections into politics. 2004. pp 32-33. 18 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities and within the implementing agencies. All 3.5 The NFE A&E holds considerable the programs together are estimated to reach promise of becoming a vehicle for allowing less than one-half million OSCY each year. some early school leavers an alternative The approximate annual budget for these avenue to basic education, or, if appropriate, programs is about US$20 million. Many of a means to return to the formal system. the programs are of very short duration. However, now that ADB assistance has Hardly any of them have been evaluated. ended, the program's scale and continuation are in doubt. The Department of Education (DepED) 3.6 DepED's main solution to the 3.4 DepED's programs for OSCY are OSCY issue, however, has to be about the severely under-resourced and account for prevention of dropouts and improving the less than 2% of the budget. The formal educational system enough to retain flagshipprogram for OSCY is the Non- pupils at least through elementary school. Formal Education Accreditation and The slow declines in dropout rates in the last Equivalency Program (NFE A&E) decade suggest that DepED's programs have implemented with assistance from the Asian not been effective in addressing the issue of Development Bank (ADB). It holds dropouts.39 The Education for All considerable potential as an avenue for Assessment recommends the completion of school dropouts to return to formal incomplete elementary schools up to grade schooling or to obtain an equivalency 6; the effective implementation of the "balik certificate, which in turn opens opportunities eskuwela" (Back-to-School) campaign, in for further education or technical and which each elementary school must retrieve vocational training. (See Box 3.1). This is at least 10 dropouts in their catchment area; particularly important because most the attainment of zero dropout rates for Technical Education in the Philippines grades 5 and 6; and selecting and training requires secondary school completion. outstanding teachers for grade 1.40grades 5 and 6; and selecting and training outstanding Box: 3.1: Non-Formal Education teachers for grade 1.41 Accreditation and Equivalency Program The NFE A&E has three levels-basic 3.7 Improving teacher effectiveness literacy, elementary, and secondary- through better deployment and training, estimated to require about 200, 500, and 700 reforming the curriculum, increasing the hours of instruction, respectively. Pre-testing supply of high-quality textbooks, and is done, through the administration of the strengthening mathematics and science Philippines Educational Placement Test, to education are widely recognized as the determine where learners should begin. The improvements most urgently required to program is designed to be client-oriented and improve the quality of the education system. flexible, with the curriculum and material structured into short, self-paced modules. When ready for testing, learners can register for national A&E tests, and, if successful, will 39According to DepED's official statistics, receive certificates from DepED stating that dropout rates have fluctuated slightly around 7% they have achieved a level comparable to the at the elementary level and 9% at the secondary elementary or secondary certificate of the level throughout the 1990s. formal school system. A notable feature of 40 Philippine Agenda for Educational Reform. this approach is the partnership between Manila, Philippines, 1999:. p. 22. The public and private entities. While the Philippines Conmmission on Education Reform. govemment develops the curriculumn, Manila, Philippines, 1999. materials, and tests, and recognizes 41 Philippine Agenda for Educational Reform. equivalency, accredited private sector Manila, Philippines, 1999:. p. 22. The agencies/NGOs deliver the training. Philippines Commission on Education Reform. Manila, Philippines, 1999. 19 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities 3.8 The demand side of the equation, in technical and vocational education and particular the issue of compensating the training (TVET) through standards, poorest households for the (actual and accreditation and monitoring, R&D, and opportunity) costs of sending children to technical assistance, and (ii) to ensure equity school, is still largely untouched by in the system.43 The bulk of the actual DepED's programs. Households in the training provision (about 80%) comes from Philippines financed public and private the private sector and from enterprises education in the amount of P74.6 billion in providing on-the-job training. However, 1997.42 While more than one-half of this TESDA also inherited the management of a amount was spent on tertiary education, large number of low quality tech-voc elementary education captured the highest secondary schools and training institutions. percentage (56.8%) of household financing These 723 centers and schools account for of public education. Public elementary almost two-thirds of the agency's budget. schools, which are supposed to provide education free of charge, in fact have parents 3.10 Besides low quality in TESDA's contributing more than half of total costs. own schools, related to trainers' capacity, Household expenses typically cover outdated curricula, and an inadequate transportation, supplies, and miscellaneous budget, TESDA faces other challenges, such fees. Although not fully documented, it is as the low status of and demand for TVET widely known that Parent-Teacher in the Philippines; competition from State Community Associations (PTCAs) and Universities and Colleges (SUC), which principals assume responsibility for a provide free training, although of low significant share of the operating and quality; and the lack of authority to accredit maintenance costs of schools, including the SUC programs. repairs and maintenance of school buildings. Improving the efficiency, transparency, and 3.11 TESDA has made a good start in accountability of the budget-including the defining its reform agenda to address these allocation of resources by school, and the challenges in a National Technical allocation of resources to compensate poorly Education and Skills Development Plan endowed schools-is of the highest priority, (NTESDP), 2000-2004. It proposes to followed by mechanisms to exempt the poor establish or strengthen linkages with from all payments and to compensate the employers, to launch programs for quality poorest households for the opportunity costs improvement, and to devolve its schools and of keeping children in school. training centers to provincial and local governments. It also proposes to improve Technical Education and Skills and expand private provision of TVET by Development Authority (TESDA) promoting collaborative public-private training programs, including the Dual 3.9 TESDA was established in 1994 as Training System (See Box 3.2), and by a policy and quality assurance agency for expanding the Private Education Student post-basic technical education and training. Financial Assistance (PESFA) scholarship A joint TESDA-DepED memorandum program to improve access to TVET training recognizing the school equivalency for students from poor households and to certification under the A&E program has increase revenue flows to private providers. opened the doors for OSCY to access A Technical Skills Development Project technical and vocational (tech-voc) training with assistance from ADB will support the more widely in the future. The agency's mandate was (i) to improve the quality of 42_____________________________ "i43 Johanson, Richard K. Technical- Vocational Manasan, Rosario G. Education Financing Education and Training in the Philippines. ADB and Service Delivery, 2002. and World Bank, 1999. 20 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities implementation of the NTESDP, including likely to be OSCY, the programs are not $6.5 million to augment PESFA. targeted exclusively to them. Box 3.2: Dual Training System 3.13 The Department operates an extensive network of public employment The Dual Training System, which was service offices (PESOs), with 1,825 developed with the support of the German locations across the country. Under the bilateral aid agency (GTZ), integrates PESO Act of 1999, a facilitation network TVET with work experience. During a 30- will be established in every province and 36 month period, trainees spend 70% of major city, including job fairs to bring their time working in the firm and 30% in a prospective employers face to face with job training center. The system has many seekers. DOLE maintains two websites that positive features, including training are of considerable value to those serving relevance and immediate employability of OSCY.44 One is the tabulation and analysis trainees. In a new phase of the program, of up-to-date labor force statistics from the assistance will be provided to the 27 periodic labor force surveys conducted by institutions that participated in the first the National Statistical Office (NSO). The phase so that they can serve as data include the numbers of unemployed "multipliers" by undertaking the training of youth 15-24 years old. The second is the trainers in other TVET institutions to Philippines Jobnet,45 an electronic job further implement the Dual Training referral and matching service, which allows System. prospective employers and applicants to register and apply for, respectively, vacant positions. While the site is not particularly Department of Labor and Employment geared to assist OSCY, it has considerable (DOLE) potential to develop as a job placement service. 3.12 DOLE operates a number of active labor market programs including job 3.14 A key area of concern to young job creation (public works, self-employment seekers is the employer practice of offering support, and wage subsidies), training, and only five-month contracts to avoid paying employment services, but the scale of the benefits, which become obligatory at the programs is very small. It coordinates the six-month employment mark. Job government's flagship program for youth, applicants incur a series of costs every time the Kabataan 2000, for the short-term they apply for a job: local police and NBI employment of youth ages 15-25 years old, clearance, photographs, transport, and which it implements with the assistance of medical clearance. Consequently, these other government agencies. The program expenditures tend recur every five months includes the following: summer jobs, for job seekers, which is beyond the means government internships, a special program of many poor youth. DOLE is seeking to for the employment of students, and the amend the apprenticeship law to address this work appreciation program. About 150,000 issue. young people are covered under these short duration programs annually. DOLE also 3.15 The DOLE programs, as those of offers volunteer opportunities in tourism, the other departments, have not been reforestation, health outreach, infrastructure evaluated. Evidence from evaluations of development, and community development other active labor market programs projects, working in collaboration with the concerned government agencies. While 44 http//:www.info.com.ph/ndoleis. some beneficiaries of these programs are 45 httpH:www.phil-jobnet.dole.gov/ph 21 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities worldwide summarized by Betcherman et their children in school or to send them back al,46 suggests that the most effective of these to school, the project provides rice to the types of programs are the job-search family. assistance or employment services programs. However, these do not benefit 3.17 UNICEF (the United Nations the youth as much as they do older workers. International Children's Education Fund) An evaluation of the Canadian Job Entry similarly implements a number of programs Program showed that youth who undertook for the protection of children through local enterprise training did significantly better Barangay Councils. As Community-Driven than those who only received classroom Development approaches become more training, suggesting that the Dual Training widespread, it is likely that DILG and local System appears to have the greatest potential governments will become more important as of training/employment programs. coordinating or implementing agencies for OSCY programs in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local private sector. Government (DILG) Department of Social Welfare and 3.16 As a result of the devolution of most Development (DSWD) social services, the DILG has recently emerged as the natural focal and 3.18 DSWD's OSCY program is the coordinating agency for interventions Unlad Kabataan whose main objective is implemented by local governments. DILG the holistic development of disadvantaged in collaboration with Local Government youth. The program's main strategies are: Units (LGUs) and Nongovernmental (i) organization of youth groups (Pagasa Organizations (NGOs) is implementing the Youth Associations); and (ii) the Street and Urban Working Children Project, development of a peer support system. The assisted by the Australian Agency for core interventions include economic International Development (AusAID). activities, personality enhancement, and Targeting 40,000 street and urban working positive life-style promotion and leadership children and 17,000 parents in 25 cities47 training. Since the devolution of social nationwide, the AUD 5.5 million project services to local governments, the began in January 2000 and is scheduled to interventions are financed and managed by close by December 2002. The project LGUs. involves about 80 NGOs which provide social services to the children and their 3.19 Other DSWD interventions with families. Services include educational possible impacts on OSCY include the Early assistance, daycare, mobile schools, Childhood Development (ECD) Law and the counseling/guidance, values formation, ECD Project financed jointly by the World skills training, livelihood assistance, and Bank and ADB. The expansion of ECD social credit. To encourage parents to keep services is expected to improve "school- readiness" and thus to reduce the high incidence of dropouts between grades 1 and 46 Betcherman, Dar, Luinstra and Ogawa. Active 2. Grade 1 teachers are also being trained in Labor Market Programs: Policy Issues for East child-friendly teaching strategies. Asia (2000). 47asian(2000 Strengthening the daycare program would Baguio, Angeles, Olongapo, Naga, Legazpi, free elder siblings from the role of caregiver Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue, to pre-school children. Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Gen. Santos, Cotabato, Caloocan, Quez6n City, 3.20 DSWD is still in the process of Manila, Makati, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, defining its role and mandate in a devolved Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, and Las Pias. system. Its ability to influence local 22 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities implementation of OSCY programs has so currently have a program to increase the far been limited. Providing counseling to demand for education on the part of poor families with children at risk of dropping households or to provide financial support to out, strengthening Pagasas as a peer support children who leave school due to economic network, providing links with NGOs, and hardship, which is the overwhelming reason promoting life skills are potential areas of for dropping out. focus. 3.23 Monitoring and Evaluation. The Summary and Key Issues lack of monitoring and evaluation of the existing programs limits government's 3.21 Coverage, Impact, and Targeting. ability to expand programs that work and to Despite the plethora of programs, the overall discontinue those with limited impact or low coverage, targeting and impact of the benefit. interventions is inadequate. Less than 10 percent of the estimated 8.9 million OSCY 3.24 Interagency Coordination. The lack benefit from the programs. Most of the of coordination among agencies concerned interventions are of very short duration, and with OSCY can result in duplication of the employment programs in particular efforts, inefficient use of scarce resources, appear to be merely palliative. Most and limited opportunities to share programs are broadly targeted to youth, experience and learn from promising rather than specifically to OSCY. approaches. The agreement between TESDA and DepED, which holds that NFE 3.22 Keeping Children in School. A&E certificate holders would be eligible Greater efforts are needed for keeping for TESDA training programs, is one children in school by improving the quality example of how more effective interagency and relevance of education and reducing coordination can benefit OSCY.48 costs to households. DepED does not 48 DepED Order No. 110, 1999. 23 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Chapter Four: Private Sector Programs and Projects Overview study covered 34 organizations, of which 55 percent were corporate foundations and 32 4.1 A 1998 Children and Youth percent were local NGOs. Foundation of the Philippines (CYFP) study profiled 74 agencies engaged in OSCY 4.3 The survey found that 88 activities, including 27 nongovernmental organizations invested about US$8 million organizations (NGOs), 11 academic or on socio-civic programs in 1999. One-third school-based organizations, and 18 of respondents reported funding of P1-5 foundations.49 The remainder were local million for projects, and 20 percent reported government units, people's organizations, an investment of P5-10 million in various and others. One of the main findings was programs. Twenty percent reported that the thrust of most out-of-school-youth expenditures of more than P50 million.5" At programs was education, with more than the time of the study, the majority of half of the agencies involved in educational respondents anticipated an increase in total assistance and development, and about 40% funding for social, civil, and other programs in skills training. Two-thirds of the agencies over the next five years. All agencies expressed a willingness to expand their out- interviewed used more than one source of of-school programs, generally in terms of financing for their programs and projects. increasing the numbers of beneficiaries and Fifty-seven percent used internally extending geographic coverage. Most generated funds, 44 percent sourced funding agencies monitored their programs, 50 from their parent companies and affiliates, percent followed up on their graduates, and 42 percent generated contributions from a low proportion maintained a database on local and international funding their OSCY clients. Key program strengths organizations, and 35 percent tapped public were the commitment and dedication of staff contributions.52 and clients. Program weaknesses were lack of funding, client dropout, lack of personnel, 4.4 In sum, the studies show that there and inadequate facilities, equipment, is a high level of private sector interest in materials, supplies, and technical support. children and youth, that education and training/capacity building are priority areas, Private Sector Financing and that the willingness exists to consider program expansion in terms of beneficiary 4.2 CYFP also commissioned a study and geographic coverage and the on aid-giving for OSCY projects in the contribution of non-financial resources. Philippines. The study's objectives were to With respect to funding, emphasis is placed identify institutions that provide financing, on multi-sourcing and matching program determine the focus and extent of available and project priority objectives to the financing, create interest and awareness priorities of potential funding agencies. among aid-giving organizations in OSCY Private sector agencies appear to offer an projects, and promote complementarity and effective delivery mechanism for OSCY pooling of resources among aid-givers that services because of their proximity to the maintain similar goals and objectives.50 The community and clients. 49 CYFP. Study on the Programs..., pp. 77-78. 50 Matthew Donovan Datuin A Study on Aid- Development (POSCYD) Project, September Giving for Out-of-School Children and Youth 2000. Projects in the Philippines: Final Report, " Ibid., p. 6. Philippine Out-of-School Children and Youth 52 Ibid., p. 7. 24 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities 4.5 No single sector, however, Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) commands the resources, expertise, grants.53 community experience, and commitment necessary to effectively address the situation 4.8 The national consortium follows a of out-of-school children and youth. A governance structure that divides strategic focus is needed, which emphasizes responsibilities among members. The coordination across sectors and the Project Oversight Board sets general engagement of the business sector. Such a policies, programs, and directions for the focus is being tested in the Philippine Out- pilot phase. The Children and Youth of-School Children and Youth Development Foundation of the Philippines is the Board's (POSCYD) Project, which is a tri-sector Secretariat and is charged with day-to-day partnership of government, civil society, and management of the POSCYD Project. It the business sector. conducts the preliminary assessments of subprojects, helps subproject proponents to A Tri-Sector Model develop and prepare proposals, disburses 4.6 In 1996, under the World Bank's required funding, monitors and evaluates Business Partners for Development (BPD) implementation, and advocates the creation initiative, an effort was made to bring of consortia and then nurtures them. A together a tri-sector partnership of Technical Working Committee provides government, civil society, and the business general technical assistance in addition to sector to promote youth development. With assessing policies, directions, and specific the support of the World Bank, the Children subprojects. DSWD acts as the govewment and Youth Foundation of the Philippines lead agency in the Consortium with a (CYFP), the Ayala Corporation, and the Project Monitoring Office to ensure the International Youth Foundation (IYF), a achievement of project objectives. consortium was formed to bring together an influential and prestigious group of 49 About 26 subprojects totaling P86.4 influetial nd prstigius grup of million (about US$2.1 million at the 1997- organizations and leaders in the three sectors to encourage new initiatives and mobilize 1998 exchange rate of US$1 = 41 Pesos) resources to create opportunities for out-of- were approved for funding. The average school children and youth. The three sectors subproject cost was US$81,000. The types are led by the signatories to the consortium of subprojects were: formal basic education, agreement: the Ayala Corporation, the alternative learning system (ALS), Department of Social Welfare and accreditation and equivalency, and technical Development (DSWD), and CYFP, which education. The subprojects were provides secretariat services and otherwise implemented in ARMM, Region VII, makes special contributions to the project. Region IV, Region III, Region VIII, and maks secil cntrbutonsto he rojct.NCR. There were a total of 4,859 4.7 The goal of the pilot phase of the beneficiaries, compared to the planned pilot project is to test the feasibility and viability phase number of 3,000. of a tri-sector partnership in providing opportunities for OSCY through the testing 53 of subprojects that would directly benefit the The first part of the pilot phase (July 2000- target clients. The pilot phase would also October 2001) is funded by the ASEM grant for determine the effectiveness of subproject US$980,000 and counterpart funding of about detyperminesthe efctiveness or in osurosect $1.5 million from civil society, government, the types-best practices or innovations-to see business sector, and the subproject proponents. whether they are replicable and could be The second part of the pilot phase (May 2001- scaled up. Core funding for the pilot phase May 2003) is funded by the JSDF grant of US$1 was mobilized by the World Bank through million and planned counterpart financing of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and US$1.5 million. 25 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities 4.10 Significant progress was made meals and transport, and parents can also toward the specific pilot phase objectives of: participate in a micro-finance project to (i) providing learning opportunities to out- generate additional family income. Another of-school children (6 to 14 years) and youth challenge is addressing the student's (15 to 24 years); (ii) providing and/or inability to cope with academic preparing 15 to 24 year-old high school requirements. NGO projects have addressed dropouts for employment or self- this challenge through the provision of employment; (iii) creating a pool of learning tutorial services. PSBI provides community institutions that can implement the NFE volunteer and peer tutors for children and A&E program; (iv) building the capacity of youth returning to formal schooling. The selected organizations to implement projects Parafiaque Development Foundation, Inc. for out-of-school children and youth; and (v) recruits retired teachers to tutor children developing a basic life skills competency returning to school. resource book/teaching guide for high school dropouts who undertake technical 4.12 Involving parents in their children's and/or ALS education. However, there are schooling and sustaining the family's major challenges ahead. The first is how to interest in keeping their children in school make the national consortium/tri-sector through home visits and mentoring are partnership an effective, sustainable crucial. NGOs typically provide such approach and instrument for providing support services to beneficiaries and their opportunities to out-of-school children and parents and families. PSBI offers life skills youth, including how to leverage resources training, counseling, parent effectiveness at the national and local levels. The second seminars, and leadership training, in challenge is to meet the urgent need for addition to tutorials and mentoring. networking and advocacy. The third is how Similarly, the Paraniaque Development to scale up and sustain the project beyond Foundation provides values formation the pilot phase to reach a larger number of seminars, counseling, and remedial classes, out-of-school children and youth. as well as tutoring and mentoring services.55 Illustrative Private Sector Programs and 4.13 Identifying and recruiting out-of- Projects54 school children and youth to return to school has been problematic for NGOs. Various Formal Basic Education recruiting mechanisms have been used, such as seeking the assistance of LGUs and 4.11 The main reasons for dropping out DSWD in beneficiary selection, and of school are the inability of parents to pay enlisting the support of former beneficiaries. school related costs, and the need for However, effective mechanisms are not yet students to augment family income and help in place to identify children and youth who with household responsibilities. That is, in are at risk of dropping out of school-for order for a student to remain in school, example, calling on teachers to identify families need to cover both the actual and students at risk. the opportunity costs of keeping children in school. The NGO Pearl S. Buck 4.14 Other problems related to keeping International (PSBI), implements projects to children in school are the availability of address these needs. It provides financial schools and teachers in remote areas. An assistance to families to cover the cost of estimated 35 percent of public schools in the Philippines, mostly in rural areas, only 54 The projects descrbed are those funded under provide education through grade 4. There the OSCYPD. Many of the proponents were already engaged in similar activities, but fine- 55 POSCYD Project. Support Services Provided tuned them to meet project requirements. to Beneficiaries/Parents/Families, July 2001. 26 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities are several remote sites offering grades 5 4.17 There is a wide variety of ALS and 6, with children having to walk and then programs, ranging from basic literacy and travel by boat to reach a school, which family life education to fairly rigorous high makes the cost of transportation and meals school equivalency programs. A best prohibitive. practice example is the Angelicum College Home Study Program. which utilizes a 4.15 A multigrade program implemented formal education curriculum outside of the with UNICEF assistance is one approach to traditional school structure. (See Box 4.1) addressing the problem. Teachers are The DepED's NFE A&E provides an trained to handle multigrade classes and excellent umbrella for the different ALS appropriate learning materials are provided. programs and it can set a standard for these NGOs have built additional classrooms with widely variable programs, including community support and have enlisted local performance testing and certification. governments to support teacher salaries. In the case of new secondary schools in remote Box 4.1: The Angelicum College Home locations, similar arrangements are made, Study Program with efforts to get the local school linked to The main feature of the Angelicum College the main school in the municipality as a Home Study Program is that the delivery satellite.HoeSuyPorm1thttedlvy system is not traditional, but home- and Alternative Learning System community-based. Angelicum College staff administered a placement evaluation 4.16 Alternative learning system (ALS) to determine the student's learning module education refers to any organized leaiing level. Students enroll in the program free scheme, such as home study or distance of charge and leam at their own pace from education and accreditation and equivalency self-learning modules. When students have (A&E), which presents an innovative mastered several learning modules, alternative to traditional formal teaching and Angelicum College staff administer takes into account the needs of out-of-school achievement/mastery tests. Movement children and youth for a more flexible from one learning level to another does not educational system. It responds to the needs depend on the school year but, rather, on of youth who have difficulties in returning the learners' having finished all of the to a formal, school-based education because, requirements in all subprojects required for among other reasons, they have to share in the level. All home study students receive housekeeping chores or care for younger Angelicum College identification cards, siblings, work to supplement household and when students have completed all income, cannot afford the high cost of requirements, Angelicum College awards a education (especially incidental expenses), diploma. The materials cost P2,000 per are unable to cope with the formal school module to reproduce, but are provided free structure, or have a chronic illness or of charge to poor students. Program disability. This approach thus solves some requirements are: (a) the availability of a of the major problems faced by OSCY in the volunteer coordinator in the area, (b) at Philippines. It provides a systematic least 20 out-of-school youth and adults learning framework for learners who cannot who cannot avail themselves of other free participate in the formal school system and government educational programs and wish addresses the demand for client-centered to enroll in the program; and (c) the learning designed to support the needs of presence of volunteer tutors who can participants, rather than to simply provide a provide help to the learners when the need fixed menu scheduled to meet the needs of arises. the delivery system. 27 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Integrated Technical Education seminars on different technologies; out-of- school youth seminars and field trips; 4.18 Integrated technical education refers remedial and tutorial classes; and to the education process, either formal or feedback/sharing of beneficiaries' non-formal, that prepares out-of-school performance at home.57 youth to be technicians, para-professionals, or other types of middle-level workers, and 4.20 Feedback from TVET providers that includes life skills education and suggests that one of their main challenges is ALS/A&E education. Technical education the poor acceptance of TVET in the is normally geared to be a postsecondary Philippines. They have also encountered course, but the recent Government of the difficulties in finding suitable trainers and Philippines (GOP) decision to recognize are looking to TESDA and the Commission NFE A&E certification has opened the door for Higher Education (CHED) to develop to OSCY. Courses include general and maintain teaching and learning automotive, general building construction, standards. general electricity, general electronics, general machine shop, refrigeration and air- Box 4.2: Educational Research and conditioning, and welding and steel Development Assistance Program fabrication. (ERDA) Tech 4.19 There are many innovative private ERDA TECH offers a unique five-year providers of TVET in the Philippines, secondary program through the dual especially among foundations run by training system and with a strong values businesses, such as the Philippines Shell education component. The curriculum Foundation and the Meralco Foundation. includes the regular academic high school One of the outstanding agencies involved in subjects required by DepED and an providing TVET for disadvantaged youth is intensive skills and job preparation ERDA Tech (See Box 4.2). learning module that includes work ethics and in-plant training. Specialization Most technical education subproject courses start in the third-year level. proponents have developed their own life Student trainees who successfully complete skills program areas, which instill values the program are awarded a high school and build self-image and social skills that diploma and a skills proficiency certificate. help youth to function in life and in The institute also offers short courses employment. Many life skills programs are designed for entry-level jobs in small and faith-based, tend to make the youth more medium enterprises. Partnership with the attractive to employers, and are a valuable business sector is sought to help prepare aspect of any out-of-school children and the curriculum, identify required skills, youth program.56 In addition to life skills determine appropriate work attitudes and education, integrated technical education values, and provide in-plant training. subprojects offer a wide variety of support Applicants are selected on the basis of need services for beneficiaries and their parents for the program to realize their potential. and families: parenting; home visits; Trainees receive guidance and counseling personal leadership and healthy attitudes from a social worker throughout their development workshops; monthly studies. A yearly follow-up of graduates is monitoring visits; parent orientation and conducted. updates on accomplishments; monitoring; individual and group counseling; parent 56 Petra Reyes. Interview on OSCYD Study 57 POSCYD Project. Support Services Provided Findings, July 8, 2001. to Beneficiaries/Parents/Families. 28 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Employment and Self-Employment 4.22 The situation is particularly difficult in rural areas, where employment 4.21 The key issue for OSCY is securing opportunities outside the agricultural sector employment or self-employment following are limited. The Don Bosco Agro- training. Some agencies such as the ERDA Mechanical Training Program and its Agri- Foundation believe that that small- and Entrepreneurship Program for Rural Out-of- medium-scale enterprises are the best School Youth have had some success in this sources of apprenticeships and employment. difficult area. (See Box 4.3) Others, such as the Don Bosco Training Center in Makati City, have long-standing Parenting Adolescents/Adolescent Health ties with big business and industry, where graduates are placed, e.g., the Toyota 4.23 A multi-country study of adolescent Company. The Pilipinas Shell Foundation behavior, conducted by the East-West subproject-the Community Skills Training Center,58 identified the importance of and Accreditation Program in Batangas supportive parenting and significant risks to Province-trains high school the health of adolescents, particularly out-of- undergraduates in vocational skills school youth. A number of NGOs work (carpentry and electronics) with the aim of with adolescents on health issues, and the their becoming self-employed or employed Foundation for Adolescent Development has in small businesses. Many providers discuss an innovative program that includes parents. the design of their technical education (See Box 4.4) curricula with their business (company) partners to ensure that the courses which Box 4.4: Foundation for Adolescent they offer will result in graduates who are Development trained in skills needed by industry or that The Foundation for Adolescent Development are in demand. (FAD) is providing a response to the need for parents to understand youth experience in Box 4.3: Don Bosco Agro-Mechanical adolescence through its Life Planning Training and Entrepreneurship Education Program, which is conducted in Program poor, urban communities. The community provides space and simple snacks. Parents The Training Center uses the dual training leam about adolescent issues, such as system (DTS) approach of in-center training, shyness, and are taught parenting techniques supervised on-farm training, and in-plant designed to help them better respond to their training. Out-of-school youth are taught basic teenagers, ease the pressures on them, and knowledge and skills in the operation, develop more harmonious family relations. servicing, and repair of agricultural equipment The program also emphasizes that the and machinery and the fabrication of some situation of the out-of-school youth is basic implements and agricultural devices. tu an of the outh-hool lot of Youth undergo on-the-job training at a temporary, and that the youth have a lot of company which fabricates tractors, trailers, and pressures within themselves and frequently threshers. On completion of training, the lack productive activities, which makes them OSCY eam an income through sales of farm vulnerable to negative influences. FAD also equipment, or repair and servicing of operates several youth-friendly, Teens equipment and machinery in their own Healthquarters in Luzon, which provide neighborhoods with support from the Don health education, medical services Bosco Agro-Service Center. The youth also (adolescent non-reproductive health and receive life skills instruction to instill values, reproductive health), guidance counseling, build self-confidence, and develop and peer counseling on a confidential basis. entrepreneurial attitudes; they also are given income-generating opportunities. 58 Xenos, Peter. Asia 's Youth at Risk: A Review of issues and Research. 29 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Summary and Key Issues practices, new developments, and initiatives for out-of-school children and youth. 4.24 Advocacy and Networking. There However, there are no mechanisms that is much work to be done to raise awareness facilitate such exchanges. Various ways and of the situation of out-of-school children and means of sharing information and youth, which does not seem to be well experience need to be explored. known outside of the concemed and already involved private sector agencies. Raising 4.26 Resource Mobilization and Scaling- awareness among new constituencies and Up. The mobilization of sufficient resources networking are essential in order to to support programs and projects for out-of- stimulate wide support for out-of-school school children and youth is always an issue, children and youth. The youth themselves and a trend toward non-financial support can be effective spokespersons, and every may signal a new way for organizations and effort should be made to assist them in this agencies to work together. In addition to role. There is also poor coordination among resources, other constraints on scaling-up the different agencies working on similar programs include difficulties in replicating issues. successful leadership models and managing large organizations. Partnerships, 4.25 Information Sharing. There is little regulation, and the mobilization of corporate information in the public domain about and private philanthropy are possible various private initiatives for OSCY. avenues for improving the environment so Private sector agencies have a keen interest that these programs can flourish. in knowing about lessons leamed, best 30 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Chapter Five. Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1 The salient issues about the situation f. Private sector programs are more of OSCY in the Philippines can be client-oriented, and some of them exemplify summarized as follows: best practices. However, much greater networking, information sharing, and a. The Philippines is faced with the resource mobilization efforts are necessary problem of a large and rapidly growing to scale up existing efforts. OSCY population. While the largest concentration of OSCY is in the National g. The absence of a facilitating Capital Region, the unemployment rate is mechanism for tracking the OSCY highest in the Visayas. Overall there are population, documenting experiences, more OSCY in rural than in urban areas, and disseminating information, and networking their growth has been most rapid in parts of with those engaged in youth activities and Mindanao, which has the highest rate of advocacy for youth has limited the potential elementary school dropouts. that exists in the Philippines for making a significant impact on the OSCY problem. b. The principal reason for dropping out of school is family poverty. A large Recommendations number of OSCY would like to return to school, given necessary support (financial, 5.2 OSCY break down into two distinct motivational, and pedagogical). Those for groups-children (7-14) and youth (15-24). whom re-entry is not an option (usually The interventions appropriate to each group those 15 and older) are seeking alternatives, can correspondingly be classified into including equivalency programs and skills preventive and corrective actions: (a) training. keeping children in school and identifying and supporting those at risk of dropping out; c. OSCY require not only formal and (b) developing alternative learning education, but also support in developing systems, strengthening linkages with labor life skills-interpersonal, communication, market opportunities and building the problem solving, and decision-making-and capacity of public and private agencies to parental/mentor support. Parents play a respond to the needs of OSCY. It is less crucial role in the decision to stop attending clear, however, as to: (1) what the school. appropriate modus operandi is for successful implementation of these broad strategies, (2) d. About 2.5 million OSCY in the 15- who is responsible for carrying out the 24 age group are actively seeking work, but activities, and (3) how they are to be growth in employment has been limited, financed. particularly for youth. OSCY feel especially disadvantaged and discriminated against in 5.3 This report does not pretend to have the job market. all the answers to these complex questions. Indeed, there are no magic bullets or easy e. Existing government programs solutions to what is, essentially, a reflection reach a very small proportion of OSCY. of some deep-seated structural problems in Moreover, they are poorly targeted, and are local institutions and the economy. largely short-term, palliative measures. However, certain issues clearly deserve There is little coordination among the much higher priority than they have been agencies involved, and even among different accorded in the past. There is a need to bureaus within agencies. Hardly any of the build on successes in some cases, and to programs have been evaluated. seek new approaches in others. 3 1 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Keeping Children in School educational services for all six primary school grades. 5.4 The best approach to combat the problem of out-of-school children and youth 5.6 In order to improve educational is, without any doubt, preventing dropout in access, DepED has initiated a program with the first place. A concerted effort is UNICEF support whereby all incomplete urgently required to ensure that children stay schools are to introduce multigrade classes. in school. Solutions must be found both on There is considerable experience worldwide the supply and the demand sides of on successful multigrade education. (See education provision that can adequately Box 5.1) address the needs of the most disadvantaged sectors of the population. Some successful Quality, Relevance, and Community initiatives in the Philippines have been Participation highlighted in the report (e.g., the Pearl Buck Foundation). Experiences from other 5.7 Improving the quality and relevance parts of the world are discussed below. of education are primary strategies to increase student retention. Physical Access Issues facilities, textbooks and learning materials, and teacher training (both pre-service and 5.5 On the supply side, access to in-service) are obvious determinants of schools is generally good in the Philippines quality. The curriculum and, in particular, and the government has espoused a policy of the cultural appropriateness and relevance of providing a school in every barangay in the the academic program for local living and country. However, many schools, labor market circumstances are intimately particularly those in rural and isolated areas, linked to the value which students and do not provide classes for the whole range of parents place on schooling. the primary school cycle. A cost-effective approach to extending educational services 5.8 Although these factors are well to incomplete schools is the organization of recognized and the technology to put them multigrade classrooms. Multigrade in place exists, systematic institutional and classrooms are typically heterogeneous in political constraints make them difficult to both age and the ability of students. In this implement. Educational systems are not environment, teachers act as facilitators who organized to promote efficiency. Schools do guide students' independent efforts to not prioritize student learning, and are out of acquire and construct knowledge. Pupils touch with their communities. One complete academic units at their own pace approach that seems to be successful in through the aid of self-instructional learning improving quality is involving parents and guides. Teachers receive specialized communities in their children's schooling. training on pedagogical methodologies that Several examples are now available, encourage cooperative learning and peer including District Primary Education tutoring.59 When a multigrade methodology programs in India and El Salvador's is effectively implemented, a two-classroom Community Managed Schools Program. school can, in effect, deliver high quality (See Box 5.2). 59 For a review of the conditions that can affect multigrade classroom implementation, see L. Benveniste and P. McEwan. 2000. "Constraints to Implementing Educational Innovations: The Case of Multigrade Schools." International Review of Education 46(1/2): 31-48. 32 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Box 5.1: Multigrade Education in Guatemala "Guatemala's Nueva Escuela Unitaria (NEU) schools focus on developing a durable and active relationship between each school and the community, and actively involving teachers in changing their pupils' learning environment. The NEU program was a response to the following challenges. Few children received a complete primary education. Rural schools accounted for 70% of all children enrolled in the first grade, and one-third of rural schools were multigrade schools. Less than 10% of children in rural, multigrade schools finished sixth grade. Older children, needed at home during traditional school hours, had no other attendance options available to them. A highly traditional, often irrelevant curriculum was still used in most schools. The predominant teaching style was lecture, and the learning method was rote memorization. Absences and grade repetition were common. NEU schools are flexible multigrade schools serving rural indigenous communities. The community is involved in the support and management of the schools. Teachers' Circles, i.e., groups of teachers from nearby schools, meet regularly to train, support each other, and adapt learning materials. Teachers' guides and self-teaching instructional materials are designed especially for multigrade classrooms of up to six grades in a single classroom and they are designed by practicing, rural primary school teachers. These self-instructional materials are based on modular learning activities, often outside of the classroom, that the children complete in small groups. The content is closely related to children's lives in the rural agricultural community. Children read books other than their texts, are permitted to take books home, and write their own words and thoughts instead of endlessly copying from a blackboard. There is continuous assessment, with teacher feedback at the end of each unit. Extracted from: World Bank, Effective Schools and Teachers Thematic Group, 2000. "Guatemala: Nueva Escuela Unitaria." Case study brief. Washington, D.C. Box 5.2: El Salvador EDUCO Basic Education Modernization Project In 1991, El Salvador's Ministry of Education (MINED)-supported by The World Bank, parents and teachers associations, local NGOs, and the Inter-American Development Bank- implemented the innovative EDUCO Program, a self-managed, private form of education, to address coverage and quality problems in rural areas. EDUCO schools are managed autonomously by an elected Community Education Association (Associacion Comunal para la Educacion [ACE]) drawn from the parents of the students. In EDUCO schools, ACEs take a central role in administration and management; ACEs are contracted by MINED to deliver a given curriculum to an agreed number of students. The ACEs are then responsible for contracting with and removing teachers by closely monitoring teacher's performance, and for equipping and maintaining the schools. By 1996, the Ministry of Education expanded the "self-government" principle through school committees to all of its 4,000 elementary and middle schools. Evaluation indicates that the EDUCO program resulted in an increase in enrollment and a decrease in dropout rates. Source: Emmanuel Jimenez and Yasuyuki Sawda. 1998. "Do Community-Managed Schools Work? An Evaluation of El Salvador's EDUCO Program." Working Paper on the Impact Evaluation of Education Reforms 8. World Bank, Washington, D.C. 33 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Demand for Education example, Colombia has adopted a flexible school calendar to accommodate seasonal 5.9 On the demand side, there is ample demands for rural child labor during the international evidence that the direct and harvest season. In China, factories and indirect costs of schooling operate as schools offer daycare facilities for infants important barriers to educational access for and toddlers in order to free up their older the poor. Eliminating or decreasing the siblings. These daycare facilities, moreover, expenses associated with educational provide early childhood development services can lead to an expansion in school opportunities, motivating and readying these enrollments. In some cases, the most youngsters for their own schooling significant expenses are direct costs that experience. More recently, several countries must be covered by families at the beginning have opted for direct cash payments to poor of the school year and represent a significant families. (See Box 5.3). one-time outlay. Families who have more Expanding Alternative Learning Systems than one child may have to face the choice of whom to send to school. The availability 5.11 The formal education system of small lump-sum grants at the start of the continues to be out of reach for many school year for expenses such as books and children and youth for a number of reasons, uniforms can be helpful in such cases. More including (but not limited to) the absence of often, however, the financial burden is schools in remote rural localities, spread out throughout the year in the form of substandard educational quality, competing transportation costs or miscellaneous fees social or economic demands on children, charged to cover the operating costs of and an educational system that has been schools. Monthly payments to cover unable to adapt to the needs of and recurring costs are usually more appropriate. incorporate at-risk children. In this context, Efforts to increase demand for schooling alternative, non-formal educational have usually focused on minimizing costs approaches can effectively satisfy the through abolishing school fees, providing educational aspirations of disadvantaged learning materials and textbooks free of children. charge, and providing incentives such as school feeding programs. However, 5.12 Non-formal education programs evidence from such programs suggests that have proven efficient in reaching direct payments to parents could be a more marginalized groups, both in rural and urban cost-effective way of increasing the demand environments. However, research evidence for schooling. indicates that an essential ingredient for the success of these educational approaches is 5.10 The need for financial incentives is full equivalency with the formal education all the more pressing, because the direct system. Where non-formal education financial burden of schooling is not opportunities are widely perceived by necessarily the sole barrier to access. The students and parents as a low-quality opportunity costs of sending children to alternative to traditional schools, these school can also play a significant part in a programs tend to be unpopular and family's decision to keep children out of unproductive. school. Discharging children from agricultural duties or household chores can 5.13 The Angelicum College Home result in significant costs to the household. Study Program and the NFE A&E hold Countries have experimented with different considerable promise for reaching OSCY, policy options to attempt to mitigate the such as children with disabilities or working indirect costs of schooling and to youth, and for enabling them to earn the compensate for opportunity costs. For equivalent of a high school degree. Students 34 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities learn independently through self-paced such as this one need to be adequately modules and must demonstrate mastery of budgeted and expanded so that they can be the subject matter before progressing to the implemented on a sufficiently large scale. next stage. These modules have been Successful international initiatives in developed to accommodate the formal alternative learning systems include education curriculum. Upon completion of approaches in very poor and rural settings, the entire set of modules, students are such as BRAC schools in Bangladesh. (See awarded an equivalency diploma. Programs Box 5.4.) Box 5.3: Incentives Can Persuade Poor Families to Keep Children in School: International Experiences Mexico: Targeting the Rural Poor. Mexico's Programma de Educaci6n, Saludy Alimentaci6n (PROGRESA), is designed to increase enrollment among poor households in poor rural communities by providing grants that offset the opportunity costs of sending children to school. The educational subsidies generally increase with a child's grade level. They are linked to regular attendance at school and periodic medical check-ups. In addition to educational subsidies, monetary aid is also provided for infants and small children linked to participation in preventive-health and nutrition activities. The average subsidy per family is about $55 per month, or 20% of household income. About 2.6 million families are covered under the project, which operates in about 50,000 localities, with an annual budget of about $US I billion. The project covers about 40% of rural families. Rigorous evaluations have confirmed that it has been successful in achieving its objectives. Bangladesh: Fostering Girls' Participation in Education. The Female Secondary School Assistance Project (FSSAP) in Bangladesh aims at increasing female enrollment by providing stipends that cover full tuition costs and a proportion of textbook, school supplies, uniforms, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses. To receive the subsidy, girls need to maintain 75% attendance and obtain at least 45% marks in the final exams. The project has also increased the number of female secondary school teachers, and made schools safer and healthier with toilets and water supply. The project has been so successful that the number of girls enrolled more than doubled in 5 years and now exceeds the number of boys in FSSAP schools. About 2.6 million girls in secondary school participate in the program. Indonesia: Responding to an Econoniic Crisis. In order not to jeopardize its long-term investment in human capital during the East Asian Crisis, the Govemment of Indonesia rapidly launched a five-year national "Stay in School" program to provide scholarships for poor children in junior secondary school, to provide block grants to schools servicing poor communities, and to mobilize the community to support the education of their children. Approximately 2.6 million of the poorest junior secondary students (that is, about 17 percent of the enrollment) receive a scholarship of Rp 240,000 (US$30 equivalent) in vouchers at the beginning of the school year. This is intended to cover school costs such as notebooks, uniforms, transportation costs, and school fees. In addition, 82,000 primary and junior secondary schools benefit from block grants. A nationwide TV, radio, and print media campaign was launched to ensure that parents and communities are aware of the program and to facilitate transparency in the use of funds and selection of recipients. Brazil: Stipends to Increase School Enrollment and Decrease Child Labor. The Bolsa-Escola program operates in 9 cities in the province of Brasilia with low enrollment and high rates of child labor. A stipend (bolsa) guarantees a minimum wage to every low-income family for keeping children aged 7-14 years in school. Children are allowed no more than two absences per month from class and must be promoted to the next grade. Repeaters are given extra classes so as not to be disqualified from the program. Sources: (1) Jere Behrman, et al. 1998. Progressing through Progresa: An Impact Assessment of a School Subsidy Experiment. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. (2) Education in Indonesia: From Crisis to Recovery.Vol. 1 Sector Report, the World Bank, 1998. (3) Vawda, A. Brazil, Stipends to Increase School Enrollment and Decrease Child Labor. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2001. 35 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Box 5.4: Alternative Education Initiatives in Primary Education: The Non-Formal Primary Education Program (NFPE) in Bangladesh In 1985, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), an NGO, sought to increase access to educational opportunities, particularly for girls. The program aims to provide basic literacy and numeracy skills to the poorest rural children. BRAC began with 22 village schools and grew to over 8,000 schools by 1992. There are two types of community schools. For younger children between the ages of 8 and 10, the NFPE provides a three-year curriculum specifically designed to address the needs of children who have no experience with formal schooling. Older youth between the ages of 11 and 16 who have dropped out from school can participate in an alternative two-year academic program. NFPE schools consist of approximately 30 children living within a two-kilometer radius of the school site. Teachers are recruited from the local community and work on a part-time basis. They are trained for approximately fifteen days and receive professional development sessions each month. BRAC field workers provide teachers continued pedagogical support in addition to teaching and other materials. The curriculum is roughly equivalent to that of the first cycle of education in Government schools. The instructional approach is student-centered and activity- based. More than 90 percent of children who participate in NFPE complete the three-year cycle. A large proportion of them transition into the formal education system. Attendance and completion rates are higher than those in Government schools. There are also fewer repeaters in NFPE classrooms than in the formal education system. Source: Colette Chabott and Arun Joshi, et al. 1992. Primary Education for All: Learningfrom the BRAC Experience. A Case Study. Washington DC: Academy for Educational Research, Project ABEL. Strengthening Linkages with Labor 5.15 The relevance and appropriateness Market Opportunities of basic education curricula often do not conform to the needs and livelihood 5.14 Education systems are expected to strategies of the poor. Traditionally, the provide the building blocks for a successful formal education system in many entry into the labor market. The linkages developing countries has primarily sought to between education and jobs are crucial, prepare students for their progression to the particularly in a rapidly changing work next educational level. However, only a environment, in which merely basic literacy small share of students at the basic levels and numeracy are increasingly insufficient proceed to upper secondary or higher for securing formal employment. Further, education opportunities. Hence, there is an educational opportunities must not only urgent need for greater coherence between prepare students for entry into the economy, educational opportunities, the needs of the but they must build the capacity for lifelong poor, and pathways to employment. learning in a work environment that is growingly dependent on higher skilled labor. 36 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities 5.16 Vocational and on-the-job training c. Programs must provide schemes are an avenue to forge a tighter hands-on, direct experience. Longer linkage between education and livelihood work placements provide the support opportunities. The provision of opportunity to build skill mastery employment-related training can operate as and encourage stronger relationships an incentive for better school attendance and with potential employers; and retention. d. Students must also develop 5.17 It may also act as a stepping-stone cope en s mic ars (such toward further education or employment. com municatio or prblm as communication or problem- solving skills) and general life- 5.18 There are several key elements for coping skills (such as developing a the success of this type of training: healthy personal identity, making a. Training programs must be wise choices, and dealing positively a. Trainig programs must be wit vauscnfit) designed to respond to local needs; with values conflicts). b. Programs must be 5.19 Germany has the most highly developed in partnership with developed technical training system, schools, community representatives, designed in close coordination with industry. and employers; ( ) Box 5.5: Technical Education in Germany Technical education in Germany has evolved to meet the objective of developing a highly skilled labor force that meets the demands of industry. Trade and Technical Schools (TTSs) are open to students who have not completed the academic track of upper secondary school. Students with certificates from vocational high schools and apprenticeships, who comprise more than half the German high school student population, can also receive further training in a variety of ITSs. German industry heavily supports one variety -3-year institutes, called Faschulen. These institutes retrain their current workers in industry-specific skills. Training is delivered through a dual system which combines part-time study with part-time work in a specific occupational field. It is the sole means of entry into over 400 occupations, ranging from highly technical fields, such as electronics, to traditionally blue collar occupations, such as mechanic, machinist, and craftsman. Approximately 90 percent of lower secondary completers participate in the dual system at some point. Source: National Science Board. Science and Engineering Indicators, 1996. Washington, D.C. U.S Government Printing Office. Improving Public and Private Response populations at risk; (c) the coordination of to the Needs of OSCY services with central and local governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations, 5.20 Government plays an important role and the business community; and (d) the in addressing the needs of OSCY, including provision of advocacy and networking the following: (a) the collection, analysis, services to catalyze support for OSCY issues and dissemination of information about the from both the public and the private sectors. extent and conditions of out-of-school A number of government agencies in the children and youth; (b) the delivery of Philippines are involved in OSCY services, services appropriately targeted to but the absence of a lead agency to collect 37 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities data about the dimensions of OSCY multisectoral collaboration that has a vested concerns and to coordinate the wide interest in the local community. diversity of initiatives has been a significant Furthermore, locally grown programs are shortcoming. It would be highly desirable to more likely to be technologically develop stronger leadership at the national appropriate, need-based, and niche-filling. level for the maintenance of a documentation and monitoring system that 5.24 A pilot program under development can deftly track regional conditions and by the Education and Learning Foundation variations, as well as serve as a forum for in the Philippines serves as a promising networking, advocacy, coordination, and example. This project provides support to dissemination of information between LGUs to conduct a rapid appraisal of OSCY private and public service sector agencies. conditions and map the labor market skills required in the local area. On the basis of 5.21 Another priority is to undertake a the data gathered, a customized plan to systematic monitoring and evaluation of the support OSCY is developed and integrated plethora of existing programs. This could into the larger municipal development plan. lead to the expansion of the most successful Some of the programs already in operation approaches, while discontinuing ineffective include on-the-job training schemes for programs. There is a need to consolidate OSCY by local entrepreneurs. Good existing programs, incorporate best international models are available in the practices, and facilitate exchange both United States, which has a healthy local within and across government agencies and government governance model. (See Box with the private sector. In this regard, it 5.6). would be important to build on the lessons from the tri-sector partnership pilot with Youth Participation respect to leadership, financing and sustainability issues. 5.25 Finally, OSCY themselves are an unexpected resource, participating 5.22 Several private sector initiatives for energetically when empowered and setting OSCY in the Philippines incorporate best an example by their generosity and practices, but they have tended to be small- resourcefulness. Moreover, young people scale, localized efforts, working in isolation. grow and develop best when they are given Considerable synergies can be had by opportunities to experience, question, networking and sharing experiences. understand and influence decisions, Possibilities for additional financing and particularly those that directly affect them. scaling up are enhanced by the awareness Meaningful youth participation can and interest created in Government and the positively influence the design and delivery business sector under the tri-sector of programs intended for youth. partnership. 5.26 Mechanisms for youth participation 5.23 Local governments units (LGUs) in include youth advisory committees, the Philippines are key to scaling up OSCY workshops, youth volunteer groups, support programs. They are well positioned networks, and links increasingly forged to fulfill this role, because of their contact through the worldwide web. Internationally, with grassroots organizations, capacity to there are several examples of meaningful better identify and target those in greatest youth involvement. (See Box 5.7). need, and bring together appropriate 38 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Box 5.6: Local Governments Partnering with Community Organizations Cities in Schools (CIS) is a national organization in the United States (based in Washington, D.C.), which has local affiliates that set up effective partnerships between local schools and business communities, with the objective of enhancing educational services. The program is targeted to junior high school students who are at risk of dropping out. A team of counselors and social workers work with children and their families to identify the social barriers to schooling. Depending on their diagnoses, they provide households with assistance with housing, clothing, food, or counseling, calling in private help where public services are insufficient. In addition, children receive tutoring support from local volunteers to work on their school assignments. CIS also operates small-scale alternative high schools where students receive, in addition to the standard academic curriculum, a vocational training program. This program partners students with local business leaders. Students benefit from internships and summer job opportunities that often can lead to permanent employment. Source:. http://www.grass-roots.org/usa/cities.shtml. Box 5.7: The Canadian Health Network (CHN) and Youth Participation The McCreary Center's Youth Advisory Council (YAC) has initiated projects like the annual B4, a youth-for-youth health conference. Other McCreary/YAC projects include the Open Door, creating youth-friendly communities, and The Next Step workshops, where youth identify priority health issues. The TeenNet project has developed the www.Cvbersle.org website, an online youth health site, developed for youth and with youth. TeenNet has involved youth in creating its various website components in all stages of development and maintenance. Young people help to conduct initial focus groups to let youth pinpoint their issues, direct the overall look and feel of the site, contribute to writing the content on the site, and make up the numerous and diverse groups who "road test" the site before it goes up. Kids Help Phone (KH) provides another example of youth involvement through their youth ambassador program that helps to promote KHP services to kids who need them through presentations at schools and in the community. KHP also recently developed an interactive component to their website on bullying and violence that includes video scenarios that were written and directed by young people. 39 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Concluding Remarks * Monitor and evaluate the 5.27 The preceding conclusions and plethora of existing programs. recommendations identify priorities and a Scale up successful government number of options for moving forward to efforts in collaboration with the strengthen programs and services for OSCY private sector, and d lscontinue in the Philippines, in order to help mitigate a those with only a limited significant and growing problem:impact. Improve leadership, significant and growing problem: information, and networking for * The prevention of dropouts, OSCY initiatives. particularly from elementary school, by expanding multi- * Private sector NGOs to grade education, increasing maximize synergiesby effective parental and community shanng of experiences, and to involvement and decision- leverage resources by partnering making in running schools, and with government and business. addressing demand-side issues hicrease youth participation and by such means as the provision meaningful youth involvement of grants or cash incentives to deaning and implement keep children in school. in designing and implementing programs. * For those for whom the formal system is definitely out of reach, 5.28 Finally, while no detailed providing non-formal education, computations were made of likely program distinguished from the formal costs or the magnitude of resources required distinguished frm mo e ofoelvr to implement the recommendations, the system by mode of delivery, following are the likely range of unit costs learning methodologies, but for each program, based on experience. with full equivalency with the Preventing a child from dropping out costs withform l equivalency with the on average $50-$100 at the elementary level formal system. and $100-$150 per annum at the secondary * For older OSCY who are level. Providing NFE A&E costs between seeking to enter the job market, $250 and $400 per year, while TVET/DTS provide TVET linked to labor programs cost between $1,000 and $2,000 market opportunities. Such per beneficiary. There is a strong case for programs are designed to improving the cost-effectiveness of the programsarel designeeds, are current public investment (US$20 million respond to local needs, areI developed in partnership with per year) and providing additional resources employers, provide on-the-job for new interventions, such as the provision training, and include life-skills of cash incentives to the most vulnerable training. households 40 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Annex Public Programs and Projects for OSCY Targets Implementing Program/Project Number Served Budget Agency DEPED Non-Formal Education 71,015 US$31.5 million Accreditation and Equivalency (1999 to 2001) System (NFE A&E) Functional Education and 340,000 (over 7 P 57.0 million Literacy Program (FELP) years) (1999) P9.0 million (2000) Home Education Program P28.5 million/year (1999-2001) Distance Education Program P150,000 ( 1999) P250,000 (2000) P500,000 (2001) Dropout Intervention program P3.4 million/year (1999-2001) Effective and Affordable P865,000 (1999) Secondary Education Project (EASE) DILG Scholarships for Sangguiniang 40,000 children; P275 million Kabataan Chairmen and 17,000 parents (2000-2002) Officials, Street and Urban Working Children Project Street Children Education and 9,102 children; Nutrition Project 5,420 parents Emergency Employment 10,000 male youth P50 mnillion (2001) Assistance Program DOLE Kabataan 2000 (K2)-Summer Youth beneficiaries Integrated in each Youth Programs from 1995 to 1997 of the agencies' budgets. Special Program for 328,143 (about Employment of Students 150,000 per year) (DOLE) Work Appreciation Program 79,407 (DOLE) Government Internship Program 16,785 (NYC, DILG, DepED, DA, DOE, DOTC) Immersion and Outreach 5,067 Program (DSWD) 41 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Implementing Program Project Number Served Budget Agency DOLE Tourism Training and 9,496 Appreciation Program (DOT) Health Outreach Program (DOH) 8,907 Youth in Infrastructure 30,559 Development (DPWH) Kabataan Reforestation Program 31,352 (DENR) Program on "Literacy cum 73,497 Livelihood," Culture and Arts (DepED) Youth in Plant Nursery 471 Development (DA) Weekend Youth Brigade: * Cleanliness and Street 4,213 Maintenance Drive (DPWH) * Career Guidance Day (DOLE) 330,718 * Community-Building Project 29,216 (DSWD) * Tree Planting Program (DENR) 44,886 DSWD Unlad Kabataan Program/Pagasa From 1993 to 2000, P240 million grant Youth Movement (for total 34,672 members: from the Japanese development of OSCY and youth * Male: 20,268 Government's with special needs) * Female: 14,404 General Grant Aid Program Street Children Village Project NYC Youth Entrepreneurship Program 4,518 youth (seminars/training) Youth Entrepreneurship 202 youth I___ _ Financing Program 42 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Implementing Program Project Number Served Budget Agency Population Under the UNFPA 4h Country Commission Program (1995-1999): * Occidental Mindoro Youth US$750,000 Development Project * Capability-Building for Mothers US$300,000 and Youth Organization * Protection and Empowerment of US$800,000 Young women TESDA Basic Skills Training Program Dual Training System Apprenticeship and Leamership 157,448 youth from P61.6 million 1999 to 2004 (1999-2004) Pre-Employment Skills Training 10,414 from 1999 to P601 million Program for Women 2004 (1999-2004) Entrepreneurship Development 94,585 from 1999 to P780 million 2004 (1999) PESFA * 13,788 in SY P24.5 million [school year] 2000- (1999-2004 2001 million) * 20,000 over five years TESDA PESFA Augmentation US$6.5 million Articulation Agreement with the DepED-BNFE 43 Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: Issues and Opportunities Bibliography Asian Development Bank and World Bank. 1999. 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