The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas has partnered with two state universities in this city for the implementation of the expanded Tara, Basa! (let us read) tutoring program in 2025.

The Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) and Leyte Normal University (LNU) are expected to deploy their students for the 20-day learning sessions in communities.

“Under the program, qualified college students from low-income families will be deployed as tutors and youth development workers (YDWs) to conduct reading tutorials to struggling or non-reader pupils and carry out sessions to the parents of learners,” the DSWD regional office said in a statement on Wednesday.

In return for their service rendered, they will receive a daily pay equivalent to the prevailing minimum wage (PHP435) in the region for 20 days.

Parents who attended the sessions with topics including effective parenting, dynamics of Filipino families, challenges in parenting, and children’s rights, among others, will receive a daily allowance of PHP235.

On Dec. 9, EVSU and the city social welfare office agreed to serve 8,000 learners, 8,000 parents, and 2,400 tutors and YDWs in the region next year.

This year, the program deployed 375 tutors and YDWs from Samar State University and Northwest Samar State University, serving a total of 1,981 learners and 1,977 parents across two cities and 19 towns for its pilot implementation in Samar. (PNA)