Enhancing Children's Literacy and Basic Skills Through an Educational Approach in Gampong Empee Tanong

Abstract

Education is the main foundation for creating excellent human resources; however, significant challenges remain, particularly in rural areas. Preliminary observations in Gampong Empee Tanong, Aceh Besar, revealed that children there face low literacy and numeracy skills, lack of learning motivation, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. The purpose of this community service program was to address these issues through a structured educational mentoring program. The activities were carried out over four days, from August 25 to 28, 2025, involving a team of lecturers and students who applied a participatory approach. The program included interactive sessions on reading, arithmetic, drawing, and hygiene education. The results showed a significant positive impact. Children’s literacy and numeracy skills improved substantially, with average increases of 39.7% in literacy and 27.3% in numeracy. In addition, students’ learning motivation rose by an average of 63.3%, demonstrating the effectiveness of active learning methods. Creativity and self-expression also increased by an average of 58.7%. The most notable change was observed in healthy living behaviors, where all participants who initially had low handwashing skills showed significant improvement, reaching the “good” or “very good” categories after educational sessions and demonstrations. Overall, this program successfully demonstrated that integrated non-formal educational interventions can serve as an effective solution to empower children and address educational challenges in rural communities.