DSWD trains Calabarzon college students for tutoring program

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has begun training college students in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region for the “Tara, Basa!” tutoring program, which is set to roll out next month.

In a report, the DSWD in Region IV-A said the first batch of capacity-building sessions was conducted online from April 13 to 17 for students in the towns of Lucban, Infanta, Polillo, and Lucena City in Quezon province.

The online setup was adopted in line with government measures on energy efficiency and cost savings.

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“These college students, enrolled in partner state universities and local colleges, will serve either as tutors for incoming Grade 2 pupils or as youth development workers assisting parents and guardians,” the DSWD said.

The five-day training aims to equip participants with the skills needed to improve literacy outcomes through 20-day face-to-face tutoring sessions for children, alongside learning sessions for parents.

A total of 1,673 college students across the region have been tapped for the program this year.

The DSWD launched the Tara, Basa! tutoring program in July 2023 in the National Capital Region, before expanding it to 11 other regions.

The initiative supports second-to-fourth-year college students from low-income families — particularly those taking up education and social work — by providing cash-for-work assistance in exchange for tutoring elementary learners struggling with reading and comprehension.

College student-beneficiaries also conduct parenting sessions for guardians of public school pupils to promote family involvement in early education. Participants are required to render 20 days of service and receive compensation based on the prevailing regional wage rate.

The tutoring program was institutionalized as a flagship project via Executive Order No. 76, which was signed by then Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on November 22, 2024. It is a collaborative effort between the DSWD and the Department of Education and is described as a retooled version of the agency’s education assistance program. /das