DSWD-10 Regional Director Ramel Jamen revealed, during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, the ongoing implementation of the Tara, Basa program in Marawi City and Taraka in Lanao del Sur. This initiative aims to assist financially challenged college students as well as slow learners and non-readers in the program’s covered areas. (Photo: DCC/PIA-10)
MARAWI CITY (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-10 is currently implementing the ‘Tara, Basa!’ program in Lanao del Sur to help address learning gaps while assisting financially challenged college students.
During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on June 11, DSWD-10 Regional Director Ramel Jamen revealed that the program is the department’s restructured educational assistance, piloted in Marawi City and the municipality of Taraka.
According to him, ‘Tara, Basa!’ targets 2,070 elementary learners struggling with reading and 310 college students facing financial difficulties in completing their education.
The program employs 207 education students and 103 social work students for 20 days as tutors and youth development workers. In exchange for conducting learning, reading, and “nanay-tatay” (mother-father) parenting sessions, they will receive educational assistance through the cash-for-work system.
At the core of this program is the recognition of parental involvement’s crucial role in a child’s education journey. As a result, the program also educates parents alongside student learners. Jamen stated that this comprehensive approach guarantees parents’ ability to assist their children, particularly when assignment guidance is required.
“Ang parents kailangan pud e-educate. Kay kung tudluan ang bata, kung nay assignment ihatag ang tutor, ang ginikanan nga dili pud kabalo mutudlo o mubasa, pag-abot sa balay (sa bata), wala gihapoy mahimo. So tudluan ang parents sa kung unsay getudlo sa bata kay sila may mu-support,” he explained.
(Parents also need to be educated. When a child receives instruction and assignments, parents who lack the necessary teaching or reading skills cannot assist. Educating parents on what their child learns will enable them to provide support at home.)
Jamen stressed that we cannot yet determine the initiative’s outcomes because the program is still in progress. However, after completing the 20-day tutoring sessions, learners will take a test to assess the effectiveness of both tutor-led and parental education. (APB/PIA-10)
