Gabay-Turo Project on Literacy and Numeracy: Process and Progress Evaluation

Abstract

Foundational skills in literacy and numeracy are the essential cornerstone of every learner’s educational journey. However, recent reports, such as the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), highlighted that learners failed and struggled to engage with concepts at their level, which raised serious concerns about the state of foundational learning in the Philippines. As a response to these problems, the Gabay-Turo project, a local and school-based project aimed at enhancing learners’ literacy and numeracy, was implemented in the district of Clarin, Bohol, Philippines. With this, the study aimed to determine the process and progress of the Gabay-Turo Project. Specifically, it sought to assess its progress, determine the pressing issues, problems, and challenges, and provide intervention schemes and programs based on the identified problems. Employing a phenomenological methodology, a qualitative design was used in this study. Participants included 8 teachers and 59 students of Bonbon Elementary School who had direct experience with the program. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and observations, complemented by focus group discussions with the teachers and students. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the qualitative data. To enhance the trustworthiness of the findings, strategies such as triangulation were implemented. Results revealed that there is a substantial improvement in the learners’ literacy and numeracy skills, with good practices such as conducting pre- and post-assessments, regular monitoring and evaluation sessions, as well as a year-end culmination to keep track of the ongoing project. Thus, the project remained adaptable. However, beneficiaries faced problems related to a lack of continuity in tutorial classes, an inadequate tutor-tutee ratio, discrepancies between school calendars, and insufficient instructional materials for effective tutoring. To address these issues, the project implementers may enforce continuous tutorial sessions across all grades, establish a 1:1 tutor-tutee ratio, coordinate school calendars, and ensure the provision of instructional materials. Addressing the recommendations could enhance the overall impact of the Gabay-Turo Project on student learning outcomes.