The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday acknowledged the seriousness of findings by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showing that 87 percent of Grade 11 students are classified as non-independent readers, saying the problem has accumulated over many years and did not originate in senior high school.

DepEd Undersecretary for Learning Systems Carmela Oracion said assessment results from the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment for early grades and the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory for higher grade levels revealed significant learning deficits that worsened over time.

"A bit of a background on this, actually for the past few years, meron tayo iyong assessments na CRLA for Key Stage 1 and then Phil-IRI for Key Stages 2 and 3. And then last year, we saw that the results were very bad," Oracion said.

According to Oracion, poverty, limited academic support at home, inadequate access to learning materials, recurring class disruptions and the long-term effects of pandemic-related learning losses contributed to the literacy gap.

She noted that many Filipino learners grow up without access to educational resources that are readily available to more privileged students, making poverty one of the most significant barriers to learning.

In response, DepEd launched a summer remediation program for senior high school students, which is set to conclude this week. The department will also conduct literacy assessments from 8 June to 11 June to identify learners who require targeted interventions before the reopening of classes.

"Ang gagawin natin next week, June 8 until June 11, ay magli-literacy assessment na tayo, para malaman natin sino pa ba ang nangangailangan ng special attention," Oracion said.

The education official also expressed optimism that the new three-term school calendar would help improve literacy outcomes by providing dedicated periods for teaching, learning, remediation and enrichment activities.

"We really think that this is a move to organize the way we run a school year. Instead of overlapping activities, there's a dedicated time for teaching and learning," she said.

Oracion added that the revised calendar also allocates time for remedial programs, enrichment activities and co-curricular engagements, emphasizing that student development extends beyond academics alone.