Why I can't read? Stories from inside the Community Teach

By Ian John M. Lagare

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (20 May 2014) – Eight year old, Jonamie, a resident of Lanton, Barangay Apopong knew already that he has struggles when it comes to reading.

He was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the Community Teach -- an educational program of City Mayor Ronnel Rivera and of the Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with Smart Communications, Inc.

The Community Teach is a remedial class for selected incoming Grade 3 students from 10 different public elementary schools in the city. A supplemental feeding program is also included in the program.

“My grandmother told me that they (in the Community Teach) will teach me how to read that’s why I decided to attend the classes,” Jonamie said in vernacular.

“She even encouraged me that if I go there, they will give me free breakfast and lunch.  Sometimes, we don’t have any food in our house that’s why I have nothing to eat,” He added.

Jonamie, together with his two siblings, are living with their grandparents at purok Lanton.

“My grandparents are old already that’s why they no longer work. My lola (grandmother), earn through panghihilot or the traditional massage,” he said.

“My parents are separated. Papa (father) went with another woman, while Mama (mother) is in Manila—working as a yaya (housemaid),” Jonamie quipped.

“She (mother) doesn’t always send money to us that’s why we don’t always have food,” he added.

Because of this, Jonamie narrated that he goes to school with an empty stomach and he can’t concentrate on the lessons in class.

“I don’t know how to read well because I’m hungry during class,” Jonamie said shyly.

Thanks to the Community Teach program, Jonamie has improved his reading skills and he can now read simple Tagalog and English.

“(I’m) happy now because I can read plus I can eat here, too!” Jonamie exclaimed.

Jonamie is an incoming Grade 3 pupil of Lanton Elementary School and is just one of the 200 beneficiaries of the Community Teach program; all of which have their own personal stories of struggles.

Ma. Regina Reburcio, a teacher of Lanton Elementary School, attested to the hardships of these students. “Most of them are really poor; their parents can’t fend for themselves. That’s why many are absent and if not, they attend classes with empty stomachs,” Reburcio said.

“This is the reason why most of them are inattentive during lessons. And we just try to understand them while doing our best to teach them,” the teacher added.

Aside from that, Reburcio cited other factors why these students can’t read such as the size of the class and the retention capacity of the students.

“I am very thankful to the Community Teach Program because they help us attain our goal to make these children read. Our dream is just simple: we just want to teach them how to read,” Reburcio said.

Mayor Rivera, in a statement, said that he is “hopeful for the outcome of the Community Teach.” He added that he will give his full support for the success of the project.

The mayor also expressed his gratitude to DepEd and Smart Communications for their full support in his educational advocacies to General Santos City.

“I believe that if a child can read and understand what he is reading, then he can also understand other lessons as well,” Mayor Rivera said. (GENSAN CPIO/ Ian John M. Lagare)