Pilot reading program taps college students to tutor Grade 1 non-readers

MANILA, Philippines — The government has launched a pilot reading program that will pay college students from low-income families to tutor Grade 1 students struggling to read.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), kicked off the "Tara, Basa!" tutoring program on Wednesday, a form of educational assistance program for college students in need of financial aid that also provides tutoring services to Grade 1 students who are frustrated or non-readers.

Tutors part of the program will receive P570 per day for 20 days of service. They will be teaching struggling or non-reader Grade 1 students who belong to low-income households.

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said this program is the department's contribution to strengthening social protection programs for the vulnerable sectors, especially Filipino children and the youth.

"Through Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, it is our goal to increase the involvement of college students from low-income families in nation-building while helping them in completing their tertiary education," Gatchalian said.

"The program also aims to address the learning losses to reduce vulnerability among children and mitigate the scarring caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the eight-point socio-economic agenda of the Marcos administration," he said in a statement about the program.

The college students will undergo training from the DSWD to become tutors and youth development practitioners. 

Additionally, they will organize Nanay-Tatay-Teacher sessions, aimed at parents and guardians, to provide guidance on successful parenting. The sessions will cover various topics including self-awareness as a parent, dynamics within Filipino families, parenting difficulties, child growth, and the rights of children, among other subjects.

Parents and guardians of elementary students who are having difficulty reading or are non-readers will also obtain a daily cash benefit of P235 for a span of 20 days. 

This support is given in exchange for their involvement in preparing their children for learning and reading sessions, aiding them with post-reading assignments, participating in parent effectiveness workshops, and engaging in other relevant activities.