City of Sto. Tomas Mayor Arth Jhun Aguilar Marasigan on 30 March 2026 credited the local School Division Office for posting the country’s lowest rate of struggling readers, citing the result as proof of close coordination between the local government, educators and other stakeholders.

Based on the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment conducted at the start of school year 2025-2026, the Sto. Tomas Schools Division recorded a 23.43 percent struggling-reader rate, which Marasigan said was the lowest in the country. He said the result reflected the sacrifices of teachers and the city’s continuing push to strengthen literacy programs through the local school board and partnerships with the education sector.

Marasigan said the city government has expanded support for young learners through feeding initiatives and the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning program, which helps students who are behind in reading, mathematics and science. He added that improving reading comprehension remains a long-term challenge, especially as students are expected to develop stronger critical thinking skills.

Schools Division Office head Dr. Neil Angeles, meanwhile, thanked the city government for providing reading materials, digital learning tools and other support that helped encourage children to read. He also underscored the role of parents, saying active family involvement and home reading habits remain key to improving literacy among students.