Tutoring Program launched in GenSan
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Field Office-12 (Soccsksargen) inked a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on Monday at Mindanao State University (MSU) to kick off the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program in General Santos City.
“Today, we embark on a journey toward fostering social change and development through education,” Soccsksargen Regional Director Loreto Jr. Cabaya said.
General Santos City Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao, represented by City Councilor Maria Lourdes Casabuena, and MSU-General Santos chancellor JD Usman Aragasi, represented by Director Diane Mae Ulanday-Lozano, also signed the MoA.
The tutoring initiative will help 2,132 struggling and nonreader elementary students, as well as 257 MSU-GenSan college students who have volunteered to be tutors and youth development workers (YDWs).
College students will serve as tutors and YDWs under Tara, Basa! program.
Student-tutors will lead reading sessions for struggling and nonreader elementary students, while YDWs will host Nanay-Tatay teacher sessions for grade school program beneficiaries’ parents and guardians.
Tutors and YDWs would get cash-forwork of P403 per session, based on the region’s daily minimum wage.
Cabaya expressed his appreciation to the partners for their huge help and commitment to the tutoring program, recognizing the critical role collaboration plays in attaining the program’s objective.
“We aim to provide our children with the tools they need to thrive, benefiting not only the students but also our dedicated youth development workers,” Director Cabaya said in a statement on Wednesday.
In addition to General Santos City, the program currently includes other places in a number of regions, such as the National Capital Region, Samar province, San Jose del Monte City, Malolos City, Bulacan province, Cebu City, Marawi City, Taraka in Lanao del Sur and Quezon province.
The Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program establishes a learning environment in which college students are trained and assigned as youth development workers and tutors to assist elementary children who are having difficulty reading or who do not read at all in improving their reading skills.