'Tara, basa!': DSWD expands reading tutorial program to eight areas in the Philippines
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will begin the expanded implementation of its “Tara, Basa!” tutoring program at a formal program launch that will take place in Cebu City on Friday, March 8.
DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications and spokesperson Romel Lopez on Wednesday, March 6 said the department will implement the tutoring program, which is the agency’s recalibrated educational assistance, beyond Metro Manila following a successful pilot run last year.
“Following the good feedback and success of our pilot run in Metro Manila, we are about to bring Tara, Basa! program to more communities around the country,” Lopez said.
The Tara, Basa! program, reformatted as DSWD’s educational assistance, establishes a learning ecosystem in which college students are trained and assigned as youth development workers (YDWs) to lead “nanay-tatay” sessions and as tutors to teach underprivileged and struggling readers in elementary school.
Lopez said San Jose Del Monte City and Malolos City in Bulacan; Cebu City; Marawi City; Taraka town in Lanao Del Sur; Western Samar; General Santos City; and Quezon province are among the places that will be included in the expansion.
The program will also be extended to more local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila in the coming months.
A memorandum of agreement (MOA) will be signed during the kick-off ceremony in Cebu City by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, and SUC President III of Cebu Normal University (CNU) Dr. Daniel Ariaso Sr.
The MOA will formalize the DSWD-LGU-SUC partnership in implementing the Tara! Basa program in Cebu City.
“The MOA stipulates the duties and responsibilities of the stakeholders in ensuring the proper implementation of Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program in Cebu City,” Lopez said.
He pointed out that “non-readers” or “struggling readers” in elementary will benefit through the provision of reading sessions under the DSWD’s program.
“Their parents and guardians will also be given cash-for-work in exchange for their attendance to nanay-tatay learning sessions and in assisting their children in preparing their needs for learning and reading and in their after-reading assignments,” he added
Second- to fourth-year college students will work as tutors for the program, teaching children-beneficiaries to read.
Other students will facilitate nanay-tatay sessions as YDWs, offering “parenting guidance” to parents or guardians.