DepEd Urged to Prioritize Student Reading Comprehension

Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo has called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to prioritize addressing the severe reading comprehension problems among students, especially after Edcom 2 reported that 87 percent of Grade 11 students are non-independent readers. These students struggle to explain what they have read, indicating a fundamental gap in their education. Romulo emphasized that this issue should take precedence over new policy adoptions or suggestions from various stakeholders.

Romulo argued that debates over academic year structures, such as having four quarters or a trimester system, are irrelevant if students in higher grades lack basic reading comprehension skills. He stressed that the core problem lies in the quality of education. DepEd is urged to propose concrete solutions to tackle this pervasive issue, which affects students' ability to learn effectively across all subjects.

During a House committee hearing, Edcom 2's chief legal officer, Atty. Simoun Salinas, presented concerns that DepEd's Learning Recovery Program, or Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program (ARAL), has not effectively closed skills gaps. Issues cited included a lack of policy to hire external tutors and low student attendance. Salinas suggested that DepEd might need to rethink the design of the Grade 12 'Strengthened Senior High' ARAL Program, given the high percentage of non-independent readers in Grade 11.

Compounding the issue, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in April 2025 revealed that 18.96 million Filipino students who graduated from junior and senior high school in 2024 were functionally illiterate. This means they can read words but struggle to understand the meaning of what they read. Edcom 2 further noted that nearly 2 million Filipino students still face reading comprehension challenges at their grade level, highlighting a widespread learning crisis.

Edcom 2 was established to address the country's learning crisis, with a 2022 World Bank report indicating that the Philippines has one of the highest 'learning poverty' rates in Asia, at 90.9 percent. This alarming statistic implies that 'nine in every 10 Filipinos aged 10 years need to be taught how to read and to develop their reading comprehension.' The commission has provided suggestions, including addressing textbook shortages, to improve the state of education.