Making a difference in the lives of the least, the lost and the last.         Three hundred-one GEMs, 258  foster parents and  190 back-to-school OSYs (Out of School Youth), all celebrating success!

Such a significant number, as the Schools Division Office of Navotas City celebrates the initial success of Project GEM (Gabay Edukasyon sa Mga Kabataang Wala sa Paaralan) on July 23, 2016 at the covered court of Kapitbahayan Elementary School, Kaunlaran Village, Brgy. North Bay Boulevard South, Navotas City.

Project GEM is SDO-Navotas’ latest intervention on equitable access. It seeks to involve teachers, non-teaching personnel and community members in adopting and mentoring OSYs with the end-goal of bringing them back to school and eventually completing their basic education. Those who participated in this project are called “foster parents” and their adopted OSYs, as “GEM.”

       On this same occasion, SDO-Navotas recognized the 245 passers of Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test, 27 passers of the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT), and 150 foster parents whose GEMs have enrolled and came back to school this opening of classes.        Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Romulo B. Rocena, the main proponent of this project, remains to be the strong force behind the success of Project GEM. His passion to reach out to the OSYs is borne out of his personal success stories of helping others.

Hon. John Reynal M. Tiangco, Navotas City Mayor, expressed his strong support to Project GEM, stating how this project gives him so much joy as he witnesses the Navotaňos reach out to their fellow Navotaňos.

~ Evalou Agustin