Mahilig Kaming Magbasa Program: Jump-starting the Future through Early Literacy

Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former United Nations Secretary-General believed “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.” Faithful to this idea, the fourth Step by Step program, Mahilig Kaming Magbasa (MKM) trains child development professionals and runs reading camp sessions to raise awareness of the importance of early reading practices in local communities. This initiative helps jump-start the future of children by ensuring that they receive adequate support and guidance from their learning partners. 

The program has five modules taught by early childhood care and development specialists:  “Mabisang Pagkukuwento,” “Kahalagahan ng Maagang Pagbasa at Pagsulat,” “Tahanan: Ang Unang Paaralan,” “Paghubog sa Kahandaan sa Pagbasa,” and “Ang Komunidad na Mahilig Magbasa.” Within the  program’s objectives and framework, culturally- and developmentally-appropriate reading materials are provided to a  community  to encourage and engage young learners during community reading and storytelling initiatives. As such, the ideal implementation period is ten months or one academic year. To date, the program has reached 26 localities with 520 parents and 26 teachers, distributed 1,690 reading resources, and implemented 71 reading camp sessions.

An afternoon with the eager readers of Camalig, Albay! © Teacher Mary Ann Niones

To further understand the program’s importance, we take a look at relevant   events in the past which helped us achieve our goals. Last December 2, 2021, MOAs were signed by LBC Hari ng Padala Foundation, Inc., AHA! Learning Center, and Adarna Group Foundation, Inc., to formally implement the Suporta Eskwela Clubs. The program had two components: “Magulang Kong Mahal,” led by AHA!, and “Mahilig Kaming Magbasa,” facilitated by AGFI. 

Suporta Eskwela Clubs aimed to equip last-mile school communities with the tools to promote early reading and well-being. The program aimed to achieve this through  capacity-building for Teacher Champions and Parent Clubs, led by enthusiastic and skilled learning facilitators who taught teachers the value of early literacy and gave parents tips on how to cope with the pandemic's many difficulties. It helped foster safe spaces for the growth and learning of the teachers. Each month, Suporta Eskwela Clubs aimed to reach 520 parents, 20 parents per community, in 26 areas near last-mile schools in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

Children from Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay are ready to read a story with Teacher Shariff! © Teacher Masher Shariff Cammah

AJ Lapira, Managing Director of AHA! Learning Center was one of the partner implementers for the Suporta Eskwela Club program. In this role, she oversaw the implementation, including community partner coordination, learning sessions of teachers, and teacher check-ins.

When asked if the books given to the beneficiaries were helpful to them, AJ in an interview said that the books provided by AGFI were “helpful, especially for parents’ application of how they can support their kids’ learning at home through having physical/ready materials they can immediately use.” Moreover, when asked about the value of partnerships in the implementation of programs like Suporta Eskwela, she shared that “the past year of partnership with the LBC Foundation Inc. for the project Suporta Eskwela Club (SEC), together with the Adarna Group Foundation, Inc. and Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation (that) aimed to support parent communities from 25 school communities in 8 regions in the Philippines as they transition from the effects of the pandemic, generated tremendous wins.” 

Her advice to other organizations, teachers, and parents on developing a love of books and promoting reading in the community - , create safe spaces for parents to grow and support their children: “A huge part that made Suporta Eskwela Club a success in supporting parents being more confident in supporting their kids’ learning is through creating that safe space for them first. Ika nga ni Fred Rogers (according to Fred Rogers): ‘A love of learning has a lot to do with learning that we are loved.’ Much like what we did in Suporta Eskwela Club, and much like a lot of learning communities we all serve as organizations, teachers, and individuals, we see that learning can only truly thrive when we create a loving environment -- and that’s where we really need to go back to when we think about developing a love for reading, a love for learning.”  Nanay Analisa Neones of Dinapa National High School in Sorsogon shared that  the Suporta Eskwela programs have helped her understand the “tamang pag-gabay at pagsuporta sa mga bata. (proper guidance and support for children).”

By providing support not only for children but also for their learning partners, AGFI, through Mahilig Kaming Magbasa, hopes to assist in  crossing the bridge from misery to hope by guiding  children to early literacy. To date, AGFI’s programs and initiatives prove that we can achieve success when we lead children, learning partners, and community members step by step.

Reference:

“Kofi Annan knew the importance of education.” (2018, August 24). Kofi Annan Knew the Importance of Education | Blog | Global Partnership for Education. https://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/kofi-annan-knew-importance-education.