Intergovt body offers aid for OFWs’ kids at school

Children of Filipino migrant workers stand to benefit from a pilot high school subsidy scheme by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The subsidy scheme, which also aims to benefit other disadvantaged youth, was ushered in this September by the IOM, which describes itself as “an intergovernmental organization … committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society."

“The pilot secondary education subsidy aims to keep up to 250 children in secondary school over the next two school years, who would have otherwise dropped out or not enrolled for financial reasons," IOM said on its website Saturday.

Initially targeted by the scheme are participating public high schools in Masbate, Antique, Agusan del Sur and Maguindanao.

Beneficiaries will get a monthly allowance of P1,000 for transport, food and other expenses, and P500 for school-related fees.

The subsidy scheme is part of a joint program “Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth" supported by the Spanish-funded Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Achievement Fund.

The program is implemented jointly by IOM, the International Labour Organization, the UN Children’s Fund, and the UN Population Fund.

IOM said at least 72 children from participating high schools in Antique were awarded education subsidy support in a ceremony attended by Governor Exequiel Javier.

Also attending the awarding were representatives of IOM, OWWA, the Department of Education and participating school heads.

“In his remarks, Governor Javier stressed the importance of education to Filipino families and welcomed the education subsidy in helping to address the high drop out rates in secondary education," IOM said.

The IOM noted the national secondary school drop-out rate in the Philippines is close to eight percent and is usually attributed to poverty, an inability to pay school fees and pressure to contribute to the family income.—JV, GMANews.TV

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