Education
Families among the cultural community have very few resources to aid their children in preparing for the challenges of university studies. Education for children is in critical condition with between 60-80 children per classroom without books, literature, or academic resources. Education is an essential understood necessity but lack of resources hinder many young children from completing their studies. Those that do complete high school in many these communities have not had the type of education that prepares them for college academics. Because of this poor start, a significant majority of the cultural community students entering the university are compelled to leave well before they earn their degree.
Sigay Kauyagan, formerly Brightening Life Tutorial Center, started in 1998 on Mindanao State University as the tutors for educational programs under the Office of the Chancellor. We offered a second chance to the cultural community to enter the academic program of MSU. We started teaching English grammar and basic Algebra to 300 students during summer and first semester terms. When we started the program had a 30% graduation rate allowing a few students to enter full-time into the university system. Within a few years we dramatically increased this to a 90% graduation rate. Our role, offering free educational assistance to the cultural community groups on our island, has never wavered. Since 1998, we have offered educational seminars, Oral English classes, annual medical check-ups, student socials, sports tournaments, and have facilitated scholarship programs with local businesses. The vast majority of students do not have a personal computer or access to one. Our staff at the Sigay Center provide computer literacy training, internet research skills, and access to computers for their college education. All of these services, including personal tutoring offered at our on-campus student center, are almost always without charge. We are committed to the needs of the cultural communities of Mindanao.
