Elementary grade pupils who benefitted from the tutorial review classes of the provincial government’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) are now better equipped for their classroom lessons this school year.
Public Employment Services Office (PESO) Head Luningning Vergara said that some 1,581 target elementary grade pupils from various public schools in the province underwent tutorial review classes on English, Mathematics and Science last summer in line with the SPES program.
She added that 537 high school graduates and college students provided 20-day tutorial review lessons to the elementary grade pupils.
This year’s SPES program dubbed “Balik-Aral Kasama si Ate at Kuya” aimed to develop the intellectual capacities of children of indigent families and harness their full potential for the country’s well-being.
At the same time, the annual summer employment program endeavors to provide livelihood opportunities to deserving students and out-of-school-youths during school break and at the same time make them productive by conducting review classes to pupils who need interventions in their academic activities.
The program is jointly implemented with the Department of Education-Alternative Learning System (DepEd-ALS), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and municipal-based PESO.
Assistant SPES Program Coordinator Donna Gomez said that the program reaped positive benefits for both the learners and the tutors.
In Sta. Ana, for instance, PESO Manager Elizabeth Bermudez reported that all of their 15 learner-beneficiaries greatly improved in their post tests as compared with their pre-test results on “Ating Linisin Ang Kapaligiran”, “Pagdaragdag at Pagbabawas sa Pang-Araw-Araw na Buhay”, and “Pagpaparami at Paghahati”.
Bermudez added that SPES serves as a training ground for the youths to be more responsible and mature as it is not merely a summer job to earn money but an endeavor towards the development of their virtues as individuals.
Johnzell Tuazon, one of the tutors from Sto. Tomas town, said that his 20-day teaching experience taught him the valuable lessons of perseverance, patience and courage.
“Teaching requires a lot of effort as I had to discuss the lessons clearly and repeatedly to ensure the students’ comprehension but in spite of this, I really enjoyed being a SPES tutor,” he shared.
Gomez said that PESO has initially distributed the P6,190.00 payment for services to each of the SPES tutors, 60 percent of which came from the provincial government funds while 40 percent were from DOLE.
She said that to date, SPES tutors from Arayat, Apalit, Candaba, Guagua,Floridablanca, Mabalacat, San Luis, San Simon, Macabebe, Mexico, Minalin, Sta.Rita, Porac, Sasmuan and Sta.Ana have received their payment while those in the five towns are expected to get theirs this week. (Pampanga PIO)
