The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in partnership with GT Foundation Inc. (GTFI), conducted eye screening on Friday (September 8) for the struggling or non-reader grade school learners as part of the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program at Bagong Silangan Elementary School (BSES).
Through the GTFI’s “Salamin sa Maliwanag na Bukas” program, some 290 beneficiaries studying at the BSES underwent visual assessment.
Children who were assessed with blurred vision will receive prescription glasses from GTFI.
“Apart from teaching struggling or non-reader learners to read, the DSWD also ensures to include other components to the program that will identify the reasons behind the situation of the elementary learners. One of which is having concerns with their eyesight,” Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said.
The DSWD and the foundation will expand the eye screening program to other areas to assess other beneficiaries of the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program.
The eye screening is one of the components of the DSWD’s tutoring program to guarantee that the grade school beneficiaries have a clear vision to ensure high reading proficiency among the learners.
“The DSWD thanks the GT Foundation Inc. for offering assistance to help our beneficiaries,” Assist. Sec. Lopez, who is also DSWD spokesperson, said.
When asked about his eyesight, Kyle Enzo, one of the student beneficiaries, said that he has blurred vision.
“Ngayon po sobrang labo po. Yung mga bola hindi ko po nahahawakan. Pag nahahawakan ko lang po [tsaka ko lang nalalaman na bola]….Pumunta po ako dito para hindi na malabo ang mata ko,” Kyle Enzo said.
(Now, it is very blurry. I am always having a hard time holding the ball. I can only recognize it as a ball when I touch it…. I went here so my eyes could be assessed.)
Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program
Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, the reformatted educational assistance of the DSWD, aims to help and provide assistance to college students from low-income families who are in difficult situations, assist the struggling or non-reader grade school learners who are vulnerable, at risk, or affected by the effects brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, and capacitate parents and guardians to become ‘Nanay-Tatay teachers’.
Through the program, the DSWD will engage second to fourth-year college students who belong to low-income families and capacitate them to become tutors and Youth Development Workers (YDWs).
As tutors, college student-beneficiaries will conduct reading tutorial sessions to help Grade 1 students who are either struggling or non-readers. Children must belong to low-income households and be enrolled in public schools.
YDWs will conduct Nanay-Tatay teacher sessions for parents and guardians on effective parenting with topics such as understanding the self as a parent, dynamics of the Filipino family, challenges in parenting, child development, and children’s rights, among others.
Tutors and YDWs will receive cash assistance from the DSWD through a cash-for-work scheme, in exchange for their rendered service.
