DSWD eyes partnership with DepEd for reading tutorial program

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is looking at partnering with the Department of Education (DepEd) now that the pilot implementation of the “Tara, Basa!” tutorial program has been completed.

According to Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the agency is ready to collaborate with DepEd “to support its learning programs geared at reducing illiteracy in the country.”

Gatchalian said Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, chair of the House committee on basic education and culture, is supportive of the agency’s plan to partner with DepEd to promote literacy.

“As Congressman Roman mentioned, all the reforms are there, and we just want to convey to DepEd that in any of those reforms where you may need the department because you know that we have a bit of financial capacity to incentivize beneficiaries, please do not hesitate to ask because we are ready to partner with all your learning programs,” he noted.

Gatchalian had recognized the role of DepEd to make the tutorial program successful. He added that while DSWD does not have the “core competence” when it comes to education, they can always support DepEd in its programs.

Under the tutoring program, the DSWD was able to assist 31,234 struggling and non-reader elementary learners and another 31,207 parents and guardians through reading and parenting sessions conducted by trained college students.

The agency also provided cash-for-work to 6,101 2nd- to 4th-year college students from select state universities and colleges as well as local government-run universities in the National Capital Region, belonging to low-income families, in exchange for services rendered.

“We wanted to reformulate our education assistance program but we needed the technical expertise of DepEd because as you all know, we are in the area of social welfare and development,” he maintained.

The government should accelerate digitalization to ensure that Filipino learners will have adequate and quality learning materials, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said the 2022 round of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed that compared to other Organization for Economic Cooperation and