KaPaTID: empowering IPs through peer tutorial literacy
TOBIAS FORNIER, Antique — Learning is fun but the process becomes more worthwhile when you’re helping out someone. This is what the student beneficiaries of Pascual M. Osuyos Memorial High School of Tobias Fornier, Antique believe in. For two years now, the school continuously conduct its peer tutorial sessions among children monitored under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
A RESPONSE TO A NEED
The initiative started last February 2017 when former Municipal Links (MLs), Grace Naca and Carl Myson Dulla identified the facility as one of the high schools that obtained a high rate of non-compliance in school attendance for Period 6 of the year 2016 (December 2016- January 2017). The school has 201 monitored students and for that period alone, it registered an average rate of 17 % non- compliance. This has caught the attention of the Municipal Operations Office (MOO) staff to think for an intervention.
The idea of conducting peer tutorials among Pantawid students came to light. It was presented to Agustin Almeria, the school principal, which he expressed support to the said initiative. The collaboration of ideas with the Pantawid school coordinator, Noemi Almeria, resulted to the materialization of the initiative which was later named as KaPaTID (Kabataang Pantawid Tungo sa Iisang Direksyon).
KaPaTID, an acronym which was derived from a Filipino word meaning sibling, embodies the value of close family ties. It aims to make the challenged students to realize their potentials with having a trusted companion whom they can relate to and express their sentiments. With this, the project envisions the students to be united in pursuing the right track to success, which is to be able to finish their studies and provide better lives for their families.
The peer tutorial is guided by the objective of instilling sense of ownership to the participants by involving them in making the program implementation more effective by addressing the concern on non-compliance through sharing their time for free as tutors.
ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
Before the peer tutorial was formally launched, the staff had a focus group discussion and counselling with the non-compliance students to level off with some other difficulties they have encountered while attending school. Also, for everyone to understand what the KaPaTID initiative wants to achieve, the students and teachers were invited to attend the orientation facilitated by the MLs. It was the last step in making everyone on board in this journey of change.
Two months after the implementation, the facility had lowered its compliance rate to 3% because of the outstanding support of the faculty and day-to-day peer tutorial sessions of the student tutors.
Since then, the facility is maintaining the practice and has even achieved a 100% compliance rate for two periods.
CULTIVATING YOUTH LEADERS
It was only in July 2018 that the school formally organized the KaPaTID. The presence of the 16 officers strengthened the implementation of the peer tutorial sessions since some of their tasks are to monitor the progress and assist in providing solutions to the concerns pertaining to the good practice.
On top of their major obligations, the officers also extend their time on weekends in accompanying Mrs. Almeria for the home- visitations to the consecutive non- compliant student beneficiaries and the SARDOs (students who are at risk of dropping-out). Their encouragement to their fellow students have inspired two children to pursue their studies again.
The opportunity to serve and become role model has developed the leadership potentials of the officers. Through this experience, the officers have been taught that their contribution may be big or small, can change lives for the better.
A HELPING HAND FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (IPs)
The school is located in the boundary of the two municipalities of Antique, that is why 40% of their total enrollees are IP students residing in the Ati communities of Brgy. Tina, Hamtic, and Brgy. Aras- Asan, Tobias Fornier, all in Antique.
In promoting an inclusive environment, the promotion of IPs rights and welfare has always been given attention by the faculty and staff. For long years, there has been no recorded case of bullying and discrimination to the IP students. Though the school provides a conducive environment for learning to the IP children, many of them are still challenged in attending classes because of poverty while homes of other IP students are situated in far- flung areas.
The KaPaTID initiative positively change the perspective of the IP children in the significance of education to their lives. With a reliable companion that can teach them in understanding their lessons and making their projects, most of them obtained high grades, regularly attends to school and now recognizes the fact that helping out their parents in seeking income is a good thing but can only aid their family on a short- term basis.
“Tungod sa peer tutorial, naganahan na ko magpa-eskwelahan kada adlaw kag nagnami pa gid ang akon pagbasa.” (The peer tutorial has inspired me to go to school everyday and has helped me improve my reading skills), said by a Grade 7 IP student in vernacular.
As of the moment, 25 IP tutees and 23 IP tutors are actively participating in the peer tutorial sessions.
A NOD FROM THE PARTNERS
The good practice was commended by the Municipal Convergence Committee (MCC) and motivated other high schools to also replicate it. Ma. Lilybeth Vanidad, a Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSWDO) has already committed to provide additional learning materials that can be used by the tutors.
Mae Elizabeth Pugarin, ML and Sherryl Bargola, Social Welfare Assistant (SWA) of the MOO with the support of the Pantawid regional staff, has identified the need to device a system that will effectively document the impact of the good practice by the numbers. This will become beneficial to other school facilities that plan to implement the peer tutorials.
“What’s good about the practice is that in only requires time and commitment from everyone who’s involved in it. Although time and commitment are also the issues that seldom hampers the implementation, I’m confident that it will only become better because of everyone’s support and dedication,” said Almeria.
The good practice does not only give hope to the IP children but also to every child who believes that education is the key to rise from poverty. This is one of the proofs that children at a young age can act on issues in the community, and the Pantawid Program paved way for this small victory.//dswd6.//Carl Myson Dulla.
