QUEST2 scaling up reading skills, shaping careers

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (April 10, 2014) – Some 500 youths in Sarangani have shunned the typical school break loafing with friends to a more sensible summer by transforming failing readers to do better with comprehension.

Summer Reading is Fun of Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST) has been the usually anticipated activity of teenagers of this province during summer season to assist Grade I teachers in mentoring non-readers among incoming Grade II pupils.

Now, Quality Education for Sarangani Today and Tomorrow (QUEST2) emerged as the enhanced and expanded version which Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon explained to have been built "upon the original QUEST legacy by improving and enhancing it based upon the results from the program, plus the reassessed needs of the province today and tomorrow."

QUEST2, Solon said, is a continuing effort of the provincial government under the Sulong Karunungan program to "rescue children who have reading problems."

Education consultant Dan Evans pointed out the QUEST2 version is targeting known failing readers. "Our challenge here in Sarangani is both access to education and participation."

Currently, according to Evans, "less than half of our children are not even enrolling in school. The big challenge of the province is to get more children to school."

He cited a very low attendance in schools that declines from kindergarten to high school and only a slim percentage are going to college. To increase that candidate pool for college, he said, “participation in elementary and high school must be improved."

However, Evans assessed the quality of education in the province is "definitely improving" which he also credited to the efforts of the secretary of education which according to him have made great strides in improving the quality of education.

The summer intern program of QUEST2 will cover 15 days which ends on April 30. By deploying student volunteers into the summer schools, Evans forecast a “focus detention” on pupils who are known failing.

Therefore, he said the tutors will have a great opportunity to "impact the lives of small children of this province because most drop-outs are due to failing in reading. By focusing on that aspect, we will save some children from dropping out of school."

QUEST2 is piloting the project in 20 public schools all over Sarangani which have been identified by the Department of Education to have a large number of failing readers.

Aside from the summer intern program under the education component, QUEST2 likewise incorporates a broad-spectrum volunteer program including service in government offices and tourism sector.

Evans said the program gives the volunteers a hands-on experience and exposure either of the three tracks of QUEST2 specifically education, tourism, and government that could provide them the ability to make an intelligent decision in the future.

The government service and tourism opportunities are for young people who intend to go into public service, the legal profession, or the tourism industry. All of the intern positions provide excellent opportunities to experience the career choice early while contributing to the prosperity of Sarangani Province. (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)