Sunday, March 10, 2024

“Tara, Basa Tutoring Program” kicks off in Cebu City

CEBU CITY –The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Region 7 Field Office joined the simultaneous kick off ceremony for the Implementation of “Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program” through the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between and among the DSWD, the Local Government Unit (LGU) and Academe in Cebu City, on March 8 at Cebu City Hall.

“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,” DSWD Asst. Sec. for Strategic Communication, Romel Lopez, who is also DSWD spokesperson said.

According to Lopez, the MOA stipulates the duties and responsibilities of the stakeholders in ensuring the proper implementation of Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program in Cebu City and in other parts of the country. With Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, non and struggling readers in elementary will benefit through the provision of reading sessions.

Parents and guardians will also be given cash-for-work (CFW) 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, Lopez explained.

Second to 4th year college students will be deployed as Tutors who will teach children beneficiaries to read and the Youth Development Workers (YDWs) will also facilitate the Nanay-Tatay Sessions to provide parents or guardians with parenting guidance, he added.

Lopez reiterated that the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program is the reformatted educational assistance of the DSWD to create an ecosystem of learning where college students are capacitated and deployed as tutors to teach poor and non or struggling readers in elementary and as YDWs to conduct Nanay-Tatay sessions.

As part of the kick-off ceremony in Cebu City, Lopez said the MOA is jointly signed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Dr. Daniel Ariaso Sr, State Universities and Colleges (SUC) President, Cebu Normal University.

The signing will be witnessed by Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, STU Head Ligaya  Dael, CNU Dean Dr. Venus Cortez, City Councilor Francsico Espares, DepEd Cebu City Superintendent Dr. Nimfa Bongo; and Executive Director of Cebu Women and Family Affairs Commission Regina Lingaolingao.

The MOA will formalize the DSWD-LGU-SUC partnership in implementing the Tara! BASA program in Cebu City.


Multisector support to “Tara! Basa Tutoring Program”

To strengthen the program, DSWD and DepEd in many parts of the country had series of meetings to strengthen the partnerships and find ways to engage various developments in the education sector.

On March 5, DepEd and DSWD met to advance the digitalization of the Tara, BASA! Tutoring Program.  Key officials, including Assistant Secretary Alma Ruby Torio and Undersecretary Eduardo Punay outlined digital strategies for the program's implementation through its portal that includes features like matching tutors with learners, attendance tracking, online payout, and evaluations.

The meeting also highlighted the creation of a comprehensive database from School Division Offices to streamline processes and improve the program's efficiency. Both agencies reaffirmed their support for the initiative, aiming to enhance literacy and educational opportunities for elementary students and provide academic support for college Tutors and Youth Development Workers.

The DSWD official pointed out that the expansion will cover areas including San Jose Del Monte City; Malolos City; Bulacan Province; Cebu City; Marawi City; Taraka in Lanao Del Sur; Western Samar; General Santos City; and Quezon province. The program will also be implemented in more local government units (LGUs) in the NCR.

In Region 10, DSWD and MSU Marawi-College of Education also inked an agreement for the implementation of “Tara Basa Turoring Program” on February 15 at City Hall Office of Marawi City.

The MOA signing brought together DSWD Assistant Secretary for Innovations Cluster Atty. Baldr Bringas, MSU System President Atty. Basari Mapupuno, Local Chief Executive of Marawi City Atty. Majul Gandamra, DSWD Region X Assistant Regional Director for Administration Dir. Salmah Basher, Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Anna Zenaida Unte Alangadi-Alonto, Dean of the College of Public Affairs Prof. Soraidah  Ali and Dean of the College of Education Dr. Minerva-Saminah Mambuay Naga.

MSU Marawi College of Education is excited to support and take part of this program to reach out to the poor, struggling and non-reader children and their parents through the tutoring and establish the “Nanay-Tatay Sessions” selecting student-volunteers from the college that express willingness to join in the Tara Basa Tutoring program.

DSWD Region 10 reiterated that the TARA! Basa Tutoring Program aims to improve the reading proficiency of elementary students and also to assists 2nd to 4th-year college students to overcome academic challenges in pursuing or completing their studies by engaging them as tutors and Youth Development Workers. They will be provided with regionally accepted minimum wage to aid their needs. (Photos: DSWD7/Tara! Basa FB/Kerwin Marcopia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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