TECH-VOC: Nation's STEPping stones towards Progress

Through the years, the government had spent millions in strengthening the educational status of the country. Broadening its vision, it began to focus on programs that develop the student’s skills aside from the learnings in the four walls of the classroom. As the need for vocational and technical workmen arise, the government and the Department of Education began the establishment of Technical Vocational curriculum in schools. In present, this program had provided millions with opportunities. But what is could this program bring this country?

As the technical vocational program flourishes, it also develops the students in areas of home economics, industrial arts and agriculture. This program put significant emphasis on providing students with practical experience and technical know-how which are competency based. This goal focuses on providing students a training and environment that is significantly based in real life jobs that would allow them to be developed as globally-competitive workers through on-job-trainings and industrial immersions with NGOs. As a country with high regard to moral values, the technical-vocational curriculum also places importance in the development of student’s wholesome character and strengthening national competitiveness and productivity. Also, one of the primary goals of this curriculum is its preparation of the students who cannot pursue higher education to create job employment and contribute in nation building. Through this, the students can use their skills and create products as a source of income even without diplomas, and as the demand of technical or vocational worker increase abroad, the students will be able to provide themselves better oppurtunities.

The technical vocational program brings the country globally competitive and self-sufficient workers that are vital in the development and nation-building. The rise of the pearl of the orient from its position as a third world country is lying in the hands of its people, and a globally competitive Filipino means a globally competitive country. The technical vocational curriculum and its students is the nations STEPping stones towards progress.

Public Enemy No. 1: MALNUTRITION

Malnutrition. A 12-letter word, something you can find in an ordinary dictionary. It may hold no meaning to others, but to some who had seen it, it may be a looming nightmare, ready to strike. Malnutrition may not be simple at all. As we continue to fight malnutrition, we are confronted by one Question, what causes this menace?

In every food that we eat, our body takes it in and processes it to be converted into energy and other useful materials. Proper eating is not all about quantity, its just a matter of eating the correct and complete food, something that has quality. These things are vital for the body to become healthy and carry out tasks with vigor and enthusiasm. Quality in what we eat is what we call proper nutrition.

Sadly, in the era where everyone is affected by the plague of global crisis, how can one provide proper nutrition? How can one attain quality of food when they are living under the poverty line? Earning something as little as 1.36 dollars a day. Malnutrition is indeed the very problem we continue to battle each day as our fellow filipinos feasted on a can of sardines and salt for a family of twelve.

One of alternative practice to end malnutrition is breastfeeding among mothers. It ensures the child’s mental and physical health that is brought about by the health benefits from the mother’s milk that is not available in any other substitutes. It had proven to be effective. Sadly, today, mothers themselves become breadwinners and career-oriented people, thus, they use substitutes to avoid the hassle of breastfeeding. The solution to malnutrition has added to the problem.

Not only does the problem end in lack of breastfeeding. Among children and teens, eating of junk foods had been a common practice. According to research and study in nutritive values, these food does not etiher contain useful minerals and nutrients or they are too loaded with minerals that it becomes harmful to the body. Thus, malnutrition arise from too much consumption of junk foods. ?

As we continue to face these problems in the campaign for proper nutrition, the government and the people should act as one to eliminate poverty, encourage breastfeeding and campaign for proper nutrition among children and teens. Proper nutrition may be simple, but it is not easy to achieve, one needs the drive, the willingness and the resources to lead a healthy life. Problems against malnutrition can be eliminated and can remove the hindrance that is blocking our way towards a country that has stability, peace, development, and healthy people. Malnutrition is public enemy number one, but nothing is not solved by unity with action. Nothing more, nothing less.