The Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program (TBTP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) has improved the reading literacy in Filipino by 77 percent and English by 148 percent of the program’s beneficiaries.

DSWD-5 Regional Director Norman Laurio ‎said the TBTP improved the reading skills of early-grade learners who required light, moderate, or full intervention in Filipino and English reading assessments, showing remarkable strides.

Based on the Department of Education (DepEd-5) analysis of the TBTP reading level assessment results in the Filipino reading evaluation, an initial assessment of 2,004 Grade 1 pupils with different reading levels of need, after 20 days of learning sessions, the number of students needing full intervention decreased by 66 percent, dropping to 37 from 110 students.

Moderate intervention fell by 62 percent, down to 200 from 520 learners; while those needing light intervention reduced by 38 percent, leaving 368 from 594 learners.

The number of students meeting reading expectations increased by 77 percent, rising from 780 to 1,381 students.

In the English reading assessment, an initial evaluation of 1,984 students identified the following needs: 66 students required full intervention, which saw a reduction of 91 percent, dropping the number to just six students; 648 students needed moderate intervention, and this decreased by 82 percent, resulting in 116 students; 690 students required light intervention, which decreased by 40 percent, leaving 414 students in this category and a 148 percent increase in the number of students meeting reading expectations, which rose from 580 to 1,441 students.

Laurio said ‎known as a reformatted educational assistance, the TBTP aids college students through a cash-for-work program as tutors and youth development workers (YDW).

“For 20 days, they worked hard and persevered to be guides for children who struggle to read, and they also worked alongside parents who are their children’s first teachers and supporters,” he said in a statement.

He said the tutors and YDWs served as “heroes” of young learners and families, as they guided children to read and strengthened parent-child relationships.

‎From 4,545 target beneficiaries, the total beneficiaries served were 4,556, including 601 college tutors and YDWs, 1,950 parents (some with more than one learner), and 2,005 learners.

‎Through the Cash-for-Work component, tutors and YDWs received PHP8,300 each, equivalent to the regional minimum wage for three hours of daily work, while parents received PHP235 per day, totaling PHP4,700 upon completion of the 20-day session. In total, the program invested over PHP13 million in the Bicol Region. (PNA)