‘Lahutay Tungha’ addresses dropout rates of learners in Surigao Sur
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur (PIA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) Surigao del Sur, together with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Provincial Convergence Advisory Council (PCAC), announced the promising results of the program on “Lahutay Tungha: Reach A Child,” addressing the dropout rates of learners in the province and their continuous engagement for this school year.
The program on Lahutay
Tungha: Reach A Child was piloted at Libas Sud Integrated School, a far-flung
campus in the municipality of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur aimed to help
students at risk of dropping out, often referred to as Students/Pupils At-Risk
of Dropping Out (SARDO/PARDO). Lahutay Tungha literally means “persevere in
your studies.”
Designed as a
comprehensive support system, it addressed both academic and socio-economic
challenges faced by 80 identified learners as beneficiaries of the program, comprising
25 pupils and 55 students identified as at-risk.
Meiflor Cabigon,
provincial link officer from DSWD said, “The 80 SARDO/PARDO beneficiaries were
shortlisted based on the interviews conducted to them and their parents who
highlighted several barriers to school attendance, including poverty, the long
on foot journey to school, and the physical obstacles of crossing muddy roads
and streams during the rainy season.”
“To address these challenges, the Lahutay
Tungha was launched and the beneficiaries
received various support measures such as nutri-pack snack supplements, hot
lunch meals, and free transportation from home to school and vice versa,”
Cabigon added.
The program also provided
additional interventions such as peer facilitators, psychological first aid
through a buddy system, and one-on-one coaching sessions led by the school’s
guidance advocate.
The said pilot school ensured the daily recitation of the anti-bullying oath in every classroom that reinforced a safe and supportive school environment for everyone.
One of the beneficiaries,
Grade 9 student Aicel, shared the program’s positive impact to her education
saying, “The program helped me feel supported, and I do not feel like I am
alone. With my friends, teachers, and peer facilitators, I feel stronger every
day and more hopeful about my future.”
M. Cleben V. Lozada,
senior education program specialist of DepEd Surigao del Sur’s Social
Mobilization and Networking Section (SocMob), emphasized the program's holistic
approach.
“This is a major step
forward. We’re not just giving students the tools to learn, we are also making
sure they have the resources to stay in school despite personal or financial
challenges. Our partnership with DSWD ensures that we address these issues comprehensively,”
he said.
Libas Sud Integrated
School has already observed a significant improvement in its retention rates,
and the program’s success has encouraged DepEd Surigao del Sur to extend the
initiative to ten additional schools for the 2024-2025 school year,
specifically targeting institutions with high dropout rates.
With this endeavor, education officials are optimistic that other schools will see similar positive outcomes. The program’s growth is a testament to the government’s commitment to tackling dropout rates and ensuring every child has the chance to have a bright future through education. (NGPB, PIA-Surigao del Sur)
