ACHIEVEMENTS IN GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION SHOWN AT THE PROJECT GLACE FESTIVAL OF LEARNING
By: Dr. Sarah M. Sison and Dr. Marco D. Meduranda
With the theme Global Citizenship Education in Action: Inquire, Investigate, Innovate and Impact, a culminating activity of the division-wide Project GLACE (Global Learning through Active Citizenship Education) was conducted last March 05, 2020 at the Navotas City Sports Complex. The event was graced by Honorable Congressman John Reynald M. Tiangco and Dr. Margarita Consolacion Ballesteros, Director of DepEd’s International Cooperation Office. A total of 354 students, 27 teachers in all 9 secondary schools as well as school heads and supervisors attended the activity.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Alejandro Ibanez emphasized the need to provide more opportunities for learners to acquire global citizenship skills. “Globalization impacts all of us. What happens to our neighboring countries affects us. And so we need to enrich our curriculum,” he stated as he enjoined all education champions to “teach our children about diversity, multiculturalism, social justice, social responsibility and environmentalism without losing our national identity.” He also thanked the support of the LGU and various DepEd delivery units for the successful outcome of the project.
Dubbed as “Festival of Learning,” the event’s objectives were delivered by the Project GLACE proponent, Dr. Marco D. Meduranda. He explained that Project GLACE is a curriculum enrichment program that aims to engage high school students in understanding global citizenship issues and involving them in taking meaningful actions to address identified community problems through service learning activities. Project GLACE also provided students with opportunities for intercultural education and international understanding through off-campus learning visits in embassies. Dr. Meduranda acknowledged the role of the school head in operationalizing Project GLACE at the school level and recognized the teachers who actualized the goals of the program at the classroom level.
Congressman John Reynald M. Tiangco lauded the initiative of the division as this “further develop the competencies of Navoteño learners in the 21st century.” Director Ballesteros likewise praised Project GLACE as “students clearly and ably demonstrate the skills they gained in the 6 month after school program.” She also delivered a presentation on how various Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are being undertaken and realized DepEd’s projects, programs and activities.
The activity was truly a showcase of learning as nine group of students presented the outcomes of their Project GLACE experience through an audio-visual presentation. Before the start of the program, students also showed in their Project GLACE Portfolio Exhibits the learning activities that they have undertaken during their afterschool learning sessions, off-campus educational trips and service learning outreach projects. Cultural presentations from the Hayuma Cultural Dance Troupe and Filemon T. Lizan Dance Group entertained the audience.
The activity was also the platform to launch the 1st Project GLACE Journal and Compendium of Lesson Exemplars. Director Ballesteros and Cong. Tiangco joined in the ribbon-cutting ceremony which was followed by the distribution of the manusripts to school heads and SDO officials.
The activity was ended by a pledge of commitment to further intensify global citizenship education in the city led by Ms. Wilfreza Balagosa, Principal, San Rafael Technological and Vocational High School.
Certificates of recognitions were given to all Project GLACE implementers including the principals, department heads and teachers. A certificate of completion was also distributed to all the 1st batch of Project GLACE classes.
