Hundreds of students volunteer in Sarangani’s reading program

Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon. Photo from https://www.sarangani.gov.ph

SARANGANI, Philippines – Some 500 students in higher school levels across the province have agreed to sacrifice the fun of the Summer break for a more noble aim: help those in the lower levels to hone their reading skills.

For 15 days until April 30, the students will help Grade I teachers all over the province in mentoring incoming Grade II pupils with difficulties in reading.

Gov. Steve Chiongbian-Solon said the volunteerism program is part for the Summer Reading is Fun project of the government-funded Quality Education for Sarangani Today and Tomorrow (Quest2).

Quest is an annual education-enhancing program conducted during the Summer days and was started in the province in 2017.

Quest2 is a continuation of that effort, to help children cope up with their reading problems, he said in a statement furnished the Inquirer.

Dan Evans, the provincial government’s education consultant, said aside from helping “failing readers,” Quest2 also aims to convince more children to enrol.”

“Less than half of our children are not even enrolling in school. The big challenge of the province is to get more children to school,” Evans said.

Quest2 is the expanded version of Quest, the literacy program that former governor Miguel Dominguez and his sister, Cecille, started in 2007.

Because of the impact it made on children, Quest has consistently been cited. In 2013, after it helped more than 27,000 children become good readers, Quest was named Galing Pook awardee.

It also got the support of RockEd Philippines, a volunteering group made up of celebrities, musicians, poets, artists, entrepreneurs, and writers.

RockEd Philippines was founded by Therese “Gang” Badoy Capati, an advocacy of alternative education, who was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service (Towns).

Evans said the quality of education in the province – where a significant number of indigenous peoples are found – have been improving but more needs to be done because of the fact that there is a very low attendance in schools.

He said only a slim percentage of those in high school actually go to college.

“Most drop-outs are due to failing in reading. By focusing on that aspect, we will save some children from dropping out of school,” he said.

Evans said the reading sessions will cover at least 20 public schools, which have been identified by the Department of Education to have a large number of students with difficulties in reading. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao

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