NDMC Students Complete 20-Day Community Service Under DSWD's Tara, Basa! Program
After successfully completing 20 days of community-based tutoring service under the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, student volunteers from the College of Education (CED) and the College of Arts and Sciences – Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) received their final payout today at Notre Dame of Midsayap College (NDMC).
A total of 80 student tutors from the College of Education and 25 Youth Development Workers (YDWs) from the BSSW program each received their final payout of ₱9,200.00, along with a Tara, Basa! red polo shirt distributed by the DSWD team, which personally facilitated the half-day payout activity.
The student volunteers were deployed to various barangays in Pigcawayan, Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap, and Aleosan (PALMA Area) on May 4, 2026, following the successful completion of the Capability Building Training held at the NDMC campus from April 27 to May 1, 2026.
The Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program is a community-based social welfare and development intervention recognized as a Social Technology (ST) by the DSWD. The program aims to provide social protection to disadvantaged families by supporting college students while addressing the literacy needs of struggling and non-reader pupils in public elementary schools.
Under the program, student tutors underwent training to facilitate Tara, Basa! tutoring sessions designed to help young learners develop foundational reading skills. Through these sessions, they helped non-reader pupils improve their literacy, recognizing that reading is fundamental to children's academic achievement and overall development.
Meanwhile, the Youth Development Workers (YDWs) were trained to facilitate sessions using the Nanay-Tatay Teacher Modules. These sessions equipped parents and guardians with practical knowledge on child care, child protection, and effective strategies to support their children's reading development at home.
The participation of NDMC students in the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program reflects the institution's commitment to community engagement and service, while empowering future educators and social workers to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families.
NDMC extends its sincere gratitude to DSWD Region XII for implementing the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program and for providing NDMC students with the opportunity to serve communities while enhancing their professional competencies.