Community engagement beyond the classroom

Dr. Luzelle Ormita of the Community Extension Services Department of FEU shares her experience and the significance of lending a hand to people in need and how valuable being at service is during the last CORE workshop for educators under the Teacher Scholarship Program.

In a culminating effort that redefined the role of educators beyond academic spaces, the final CORE workshop under the Teacher Scholarship Program brought together scholars and faculty for a transformative dialogue on community service, social responsibility, and inclusive education involving persons deprived of liberty (PDL).

“Inside these confined spaces, education takes on a different meaning. Workshops and training sessions conducted by educators can equip PDL with competencies in literacy, livelihood, and critical thinking tools that not only restore dignity but also offer a pathway to sustainable reintegration,” said one participant. “Whether through teaching basic communication skills, facilitating reflective learning, or introducing vocational knowledge, educators play a crucial role in reshaping futures once thought limited by circumstance.”

Angelique Borromeo, one of the teacher-scholars who attended the seminar talked about how knowledge and how having experience in doing community service would contribute in her role as an educator.

Equally significant is the impact on educators themselves, they said. They added that exposure to these realities fosters empathy, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of education as a human-centered practice. It challenges long-held assumptions and compels scholars to align their teaching philosophies with the lived experiences of diverse learners, they said.

Facilitated by Dr. Luzelle Ormita, director of Community Extension Services at Far Eastern University, and in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning, the session challenged participants to extend their expertise into communities often left at the margins.

Ormita emphasized that community engagement is not merely an extension of academic duty but a vital avenue for nation-building. By bringing knowledge, skills, and professional expertise into correctional facilities and remote communities, educators can plant seeds of transformation where they are needed most. These engagements, she noted, create opportunities for individuals, particularly those within jail premises, to learn practical, applicable skills they can carry with them upon reintegration into society.

As the CORE workshop concludes, its message resonates clearly: the true measure of education lies not only in what is taught within four walls, but in how it transforms lives beyond them. By stepping into communities, especially those often overlooked, educators become catalysts of change, bridging gaps and building futures grounded in opportunity, dignity, and hope.