INNOTECH EXPLORES PARTNERSHIP WITH CNN HERO

The Center’s Educational Research and Innovation Office (ERIO) team led by its manager, Mr. Philip Purnell, met with 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Mr. Efren Peñaflorida, Jr., to discuss possible partnership with SEAMEO INNOTECH last April 17, 2013. Mr. Peñaflorida, founder of the Dynamic Teen Company (DTC), a non-government organization, was joined by Mr. Randie Salonga, DTC’s Education Unit Head.

Mr. Peñaflorida was recognized by CNN for DTC’s Kariton Klasrum (literally pushcart classroom) which provides a holistic education experience to street children through alternative learning, healthcare, and feeding. The program initially aims to develop the children’s interest and love for learning that could eventually persuade them to go back to formal schooling. Because of the success of the program, the Department of Education (DepEd) through Secretary Br. Armin Luistro requested the DTC to transform the program into an alternative delivery mode (ADM) for street children. It is because of this new vision for the Kariton Klasrum that the DTC met with the ERIO team for possible technical assistance from SEAMEO INNOTECH in developing a specialized curriculum for street children, taking into consideration their unique contexts and characteristics.

To enable the ERIO team to have a better understanding and appreciation of the Kariton Klasrum and make more concrete suggestions, five ERIO staff composed of Mr. Philip Purnell; Ms. Debbie Lacuesta and Ms. Kat Torralba of the Solutions Development Unit; Ms. Sylvette Gunigundo of the Research Studies Unit; and Ms. Lauren Bautista of the Solutions, Evaluation, and Adaptation Unit, went to Cavite City on April 27, 2013 to visit the DTC’s headquarters and observe the Kariton Klasrum in action. The team conducted informal interviews of Mr. Peñaflorida, Mr. Salonga, and some volunteers as well as observed actual learning sessions. The visit concluded with a debriefing session where the ERIO team shared some suggestions to DTC on how to further strengthen and improve the implementation of the program.

The DTC was very appreciative of these suggestions. On their part, DTC will discuss the specific technical assistance they want from SEAMEO INNOTECH, but even without a formal memorandum of understanding or agreement yet, DTC is already regarding SEAMEO INNOTECH as a partner as they try to transform their Kariton Klasrum into an ADM program for street children.

You might also want to read “INNOTECH partners with the brains behind “Kariton Klasrum.”

At the DTC Headquarters (photo courtesy of Dr. Sylvette Gunigundo)

The Kariton Klasrum on the streets of Cavite City (photo courtesy of Katherine Torralba)

(photo courtesy of Dr. Sylvette Gunigundo)

(photo courtesy of Lauren Bautista)

(photos courtesy of Lauren Bautista, Dr. Sylvette Gunigundo, and Katherine Torralba)