DepEd vows intensified literacy reforms; 18M grads 'functionally illiterate'

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday vowed to intensify literacy reforms following alarming survey results showing that over 18 million Filipino students are graduating from high school despite being 'functionally illiterate'.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the department's commitment to addressing this issue and ensuring no child is left behind in reading and comprehension.

DepEd has launched a series of strategic interventions, including the revised K to 10 curriculum and strengthening of the Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Program, while also focusing on cultivating critical thinking and 21st-century skills among students instead of traditional rote memorization methods.

The government is improving teaching and assessment methods as well as remedial and literacy programs in schools, aiming to ensure that every Filipino learner is functionally literate and prepared for the future.

Lawmakers raised alarm over the results of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), which revealed significant gaps in functional literacy among Filipino learners.