"Kinder na si Lola" (Kara David Documentary) 1

From afar the noises from this classroom might sound like those of children reciting nursery rhymes, hungry for knowledge and hopeful of what the future might bring.

But these students are way past their prime. In fact, most of them are already grandparents who have only begun lessons on reading and writing. For them, it is never too late.

Lola Remedios is one of the students in the class. At 66, she is at Kindergarten and has only started to learn how to read and write. For most of her life, she could not read the signs around her and could not even write her own name.

A few months ago Remedios was recruited by Teacher Cathy to an Alternative Learning System (ALS) class where out of school youths and adults are taught basic education. Today, Remedios can spell her name albeit in a childish scrawl.

Although already 78, Lola Catalina is the most active and participative student in class. Her advanced age and blurred vision have not stopped her from attending the weekly sessions. Lola Catalina was able to finish elementary school when she was still young but was never able to enter high school. In attending Teacher Cathy's class, she hopes to receive her most coveted high school diploma.

The only male student in class is Lolo Bartolome. At 72 he takes pride in his aptitude in math especially in arithmetic and fractions. His education in the ALS has given him confidence to declare that he might even be able to defeat any high school student in a math contest.

The shy Lola Remedios, the hyper active Lola Catalina and the confident Lolo Bartolome are only three of the many adult students in Teacher Cathy's class. Their different personalities combined with the irritability brought about by old age are a lot to handle for just any teacher. Thankfully Teacher Cathy is not just any educator. She, herself, is a product of late education which is proof that it is never too late to study and learn.

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[aisedenia]

My father is also like this. He does not read nor write but he knows that value of education. As a result, all his 4 kids are professionals with two Cum Laudes.

[krisedrosolam]

'mam kara like n like ko mga report mo hehehe tlagang kakaiba ka sa lhat ng reporte tlagang makamasang makamasa ka hehehe sana nman mamet kta...ngats po GOD BLESS YOU.

[jhayson092890]

I admit it it hurts to see this kinds of documentaries couze my mom was one of them...since I was the only one who graduated from college among her 3 children.. But I promise once I have enough time I will teach her how to write and read properly...thank you lord

[allandedomingo]

Naawa ako sa kanila kaya tama lang yung ginawa ng DepEd ngayon na kahit may edad pinapapasok sa school hindi kulang alam yung term nila sa bagong project nila.

[leslee2027]

oh my god, i was actually crying when i watched this documentary, kung sana lahat ng kabataan ay katulad ng pananaw nila, siguro walang maghihirap ang buhay na pamilya because they are striving and believing na makukuha nila ang kanilang mga pangarap sa buhay, una na ang edukasyon.

[dragon2146]

Kara, If you can do documentary on people that cant read (disabilities) how about the people on physical disabilities, like mga lumpo or people on wheelchairs and i'd

be interested to find out what the government are doing about them. people that the society seems to have forgotten. this would help us and others that has the most concern to them and maybe bring out the best of people who has the concern for their goods and wellbeing. thanks for doing a good job.