EDITORIAL: Literacy Breakdown

THE revelation that 18.96 million junior and senior high school graduates in 2024 cannot read and comprehend a simple story is a national emergency that demands urgent and unified action. This sobering figure, shared during a recent Senate education hearing, pulls back the curtain on a systemic failure: our basic education system is not equipping students with the most fundamental skill—functional literacy.

Defined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as the ability to read, write, do basic math, and understand written texts, functional literacy is essential for daily life. Without it, students cannot follow instructions, make informed decisions, or fully participate in society. In a world driven by information, illiteracy is not just a personal disadvantage—it is a national liability.

The data is especially troubling: one in five of our senior high school graduates is not functionally literate. In several provinces—including Tawi-Tawi, Davao Occidental, and Zamboanga del Sur—illiteracy rates among graduates range from 44% to a staggering 67%. These are not just numbers. They represent real students, real communities, and a real crisis that is robbing an entire generation of their potential.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s call for reform is both timely and necessary. He is right to emphasize that graduating without the ability to comprehend a basic story defeats the very purpose of basic education. Diplomas must be backed by actual learning—not symbolic credentials.

The solution requires a multipronged approach. On a systemic level, we need a curriculum that prioritizes literacy, investments in teacher training, and assessments that track comprehension, not just memorization. Schools must be equipped with sufficient reading materials, smaller class sizes, and remedial programs for struggling learners.

But schools cannot do it alone. Literacy begins at home. According to early childhood education expert Thumby Server-Veloso, parents play a critical role in helping children develop reading comprehension. Here are strategies parents and caregivers can use:

Read Together Daily: Set aside time each day to read with your child. Choose age-appropriate books, and pause to discuss what’s happening in the story. Ask questions that invite children to reflect, predict, and connect the story to their experiences.

Encourage Story Summarization: After reading, ask your child to retell the story in their own words. This helps them process what they’ve read and identify key points.

Ask Questions and Make Predictions: Engage children by asking open-ended questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why do you think the character did that?” This promotes critical thinking and deeper understanding.

Use Context Clues: Teach your child to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words by looking at how they are used in the sentence. This builds vocabulary and comprehension skills simultaneously.

Model Reading Enjoyment: Let your child see you reading books, newspapers, or magazines. Children who see adults enjoying reading are more likely to develop a love for it themselves.

In communities where resources are scarce, government and civil society must step in to provide reading materials, organize community reading sessions, and train parent-volunteers to support early literacy.

This crisis did not emerge overnight, and it won’t be solved by one intervention alone. But every child who learns to read with understanding is a victory—for their future, and for ours. We must not wait for the next shocking statistic before we act.

Functional literacy is not just an educational goal. It is a moral and national imperative. Let this be the turning point where we, as a nation, commit to ensuring that every Filipino child not only goes to school—but truly learns.