DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare Development reported that a total of 120,359 college students, struggling and non-reader elementary learners, and parents have benefitted from their expanded Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program.

DSWD spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said after 20 reading and Nanay-Tatay sessions, the DSWD, “through the help of our trained college students, has assisted a total of 54,985 struggling and non-reader elementary learners and another 54,985 parents and guardians.”

These college students, consisting of 8,000 tutors and 2,389 youth development workers were capacitated and deployed in select elementary schools to help improve the reading proficiency of elementary students and conduct Nanay-Tatay teacher sessions for parents and guardians of the grade school beneficiaries, respectively.

“With the expansion of the tutoring program outside the National Capital Region, we can help more college students to defray their school expenses such as transportation expenses, school supplies, school projects, allowances, and other related expenses,” Dumlao said.

After the pilot implementation in Metro Manila last year, the agency partnered with the local government units in Regions 3 or Central Luzon, 7 or Central Visayas, 8 or Eastern Visayas, 10 or Northern Mindanao, 12 or Soccsksargen and Calabarzon for the expansion of the tutoring program.

Each tutor and YDW receives cash-for-work, depending on the amount of minimum wage rate in their respective areas, in exchange for the 20 tutorial and parenting sessions they have conducted with the grade school learners and parents.

“Reading and parenting sessions in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and National Capital Region were canceled due to the recent Super Typhoon Carina compounded by the southwest monsoon,” she said.

The participating schools in the three regions will conduct make-up sessions for Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program until August 10.

The Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program is the reformatted educational assistance program of the Department that creates an ecosystem of learning by training college students from low-income families who are in difficult situations to become tutors and YDWs.