TOPS will REAP

These are facts…

• The Philippine Education is in crisis. Aside from the much publicized lack in classrooms, desks, books, many children cannot read nor understand what they read, even in higher grade levels.

• In 2004-2005 SY Oral Reading Test (8.6 million pupils) - % of "Independent" readers (read with comprehension at the stated grade/age level in either English or Filipino) is as follows:
Grade 1 – 14%
Grade 2 – 14%
Grade 3 – 17%
Grade 4 – 17%
Grade 5 – 23%
Grade 6 – 23%

• The 57/75 campaign is a national multi-sectoral campaign to reverse the education crisis towards system-wide performance improvements through a focused private sector intervention and community action. The goal is to decrease the dropout rates, improve reading proficiencies and improve achievement rates.

The Makati Elementary Public Schools
Public schools in Makati are subsidized and managed by the country's Department of Education, These public preparatory and elementary schools require minimum fees or no tuition fees at all. These public schools make it possible for the impoverished residents of Makati City to have the proper education that every citizen needs in order to effectively contribute to society. However, TOPS realized that what is lacking is parental attention and help in academic matters. Most of these kids have their parents working, come from dysfunctional families, or have homes not conducive for studying.

REAP means...
This is where TOPS hopes to fill the gap. The experience of TOPS teaching San Antonio Village Elementary School pupils last year paved the way for TOPS’ REAP (Reading Enhancement Assistance Program) to be formally launched. With the help of consultants from International Montessori School and ARAL(Acquiring Ready Assistance to Learning (A.R.A.L.) Program of Iraya Study Center in Quezon City, REAP started improving its reading program based on Phono-graphix, a recent popular method of approach to teaching reading developed by Dr Carmen and Geoffrey McGuinness. The Project REAP's aim is to help cultivate Filipino urban kids’ love for learning by improving in their reading and comprehension skills.

And the chosen school is...
TOPS chose Jose Magsaysay Elementary School (JMES) to be its first beneficiary of the REAP program. JMES, a relatively small elementary school with no history of volunteering groups for the past years caught the attention of TOPS because of the school's mission in bridging the gap between community, family and school. Furthermore, the support of the school's faculty, staff and it's newly assigned OIC is evident. We hope to REAP at JMES starting this July and by March, we hope to reap the fruits. =)