Mindanaotoday.com | MBHTE-TESD upskills 100 PDLs in Malabang town
By: Claire Gigje
MARAWI CITY – A total of 100 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) situated at the Malabang District Jail in Malabang town, here, have gained new skills deemed beneficial to their livelihoods once they go back to their respective communities soon.
This, following their graduation from their technical vocational courses offered by the Bangsamoro region’s Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education-Technical Education and Skills Development (MBHTE-TESD) with funds from the Bangsamoro government’s Bangsamoro scholarship program.
At least 25 inmates each completed the bread and pastry production, cookery, tile setting, and electrical installation and maintenance through the involvement of two TESD-accredited schools, namely, RLM Multi-Skills Training and Assessment Center, Inc., and Mohammad Jamesbond Bangsamoro Multi-Skills Advancement Center, Inc.
These completers also received their allowances through the apportioned Training Support Fund of the MBHTE-TESD Lanao del Sur Provincial Office, wherein trainees in bread and pastry production were given P4,780 each after 28 days of training, and cookery finishers got P8,740 after 42 days of training.
On the other hand, tile setting trainees received P4,240 after 18 days of training, while those who graduated from electrical installation and maintenance got P6,040 after 28 days of training.
Cooking and bread and pastry production graduates have already been assessed and given the national certificate level (NC II). Assessment for tile setting and electrical installation and maintenance is yet to be scheduled.
Asnawi Bato, director of the MBHTE-TESD Lanao del Sur Provincial Office, revealed that they intended to bring technical vocational training courses for inmates at the Malabang District Jail, given that the facility houses inmates from both Malabang town and Marawi City following the siege in 2017.
He conveyed that this is just a manifestation that, although they are inside a correctional facility and they feel that their lives have become useless, they are given a chance to make progress.
Bato stated that the skills training can help when the time comes and they will be released; they will have opportunities for employment and establish their own livelihood.
“Paglaya nila (When they are freed]) they already possess certain skills na pwede nilang magamit sa kanilang mga hanapbuhay (that they can use for their livelihood),” he said.
Bato detailed that with MBHTE-TESD, they have priority programs that are technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for social equity and the global workforce.
With these programs, they ensure that PDLs and underprivileged sectors of society are accommodated, with funding provided by the Bangsamoro government’s Bangsamoro scholarship program.Also included in their priority programs are single parents, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and other marginalized sectors.
The provincial director shared that they have not only provided skills training to inmates at Malabang District Jail as they had previously, but they have also extended the same offer to those at Lanao del Sur Provincial Jail.
He also hoped to expand their services to the district jail in Wao Town and other correctional facilities throughout the province.
To continue their endeavors for PDLs, Bato encouraged jail facilities within the province to collaborate with this office.
“We are also inviting our counterparts in BJMP within the province of Lanao del Sur na makipagcommunicate lang sa ating opisina for further activities ng mga tulad nito,” he said. (CRG | PIA-10 | Lanao del Sur)
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