Alternative Education
Bahay Tuluyan believes in the inherent capabilities of children to improve the quality of their lives and to share the responsibility for the care, nurture and education of other children. Accordingly, Bahay Tuluyan was a pioneer in the use of the ‘child- to-child’ (CTC) approach of education in the Philippines when it began alternative education for street children in 1989. By giving children the skills to teach other children, the rights of the child to develop and to participate are promoted.
The use of this method of teaching, where children are trained to teach other children, has proven an appropriate and effective tool for teaching street children. Often street children do not respond well to conventional or highly structured teaching methods. This is due partly to the frequent and prolonged absences from school of many street children. Using the CTC approach, teaching is adapted to suit the student’s environment and experience and builds on the belief that many children, particularly street children, respond more readily to their peers than to adults. Consequently classes can be held on the street or in communities and may employ a variety of less conventional teaching methods such as art, music and drama.
Throughout its history, Bahay Tuluyan has used the CTC approach as the basis for its Alternative Education system. This system currently includes 5 different programs. While each of the Alternative Education programs have a different focus (eg: education, health, research, environment, theater), they have the following objectives in common:
1. Develop children’s self confidence and self esteem
2. Instill a sense of responsibility in children
3. Develop leadership, communication and facilitation skills in children
4. Provide children with knowledge, skills and attitude to be able to reach out to other children.
The six existing Alternative Education programs of Bahay Tuluyan are:
- Junior Educators Program
- Junior Health Workers Program
- Junior Environmental Educators Program
- Participatory Children’s Street Theater & Arts Program
- Participatory Research Team
- Junior Program – special program for children under 12 years old
