The Department of Education (DepEd) acknowledges that the country's worsening literacy problem reflects a broader breakdown in learning outcomes, after data showed that the overwhelming majority of senior high school students are unable to read and comprehend texts on their own.

DepEd Undersecretary for Learning Systems Carmela Oracion said the agency recognizes the alarming findings earlier reported by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which showed that only about 12 percent of Grade 11 learners possess the reading comprehension skills expected of their grade level.

“Gusto kong sabihin na 87 is no small number,” Oracion said, referring to the proportion of Grade 11 students classified as non-independent readers. “I'd like to state very clearly that DepEd recognizes that this is very serious.”

The assessment, conducted in March among approximately 1.4 million Grade 11 students, found that roughly 1.3 million learners fall under either the instructional or frustration reading levels, meaning they require varying degrees of assistance to understand texts. 

Only 12.58 percent were considered independent readers.

Oracion stressed that the problem did not originate in senior high school but reflects learning deficits accumulated throughout a learner’s schooling.

“When a Grade 11 learner struggles to read independently, it signals that the problem did not start in senior high school,” she said. “This is a cumulative gap that has come to be over a period of time.”

Oracion said the findings should be viewed within the broader context of poverty, unequal access to learning resources, disruptions in classroom instruction, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely affected foundational learning among schoolchildren.

She noted that many Filipino students enter school with disadvantages that extend beyond the classroom, including limited exposure to books and educational materials at home.

Oracion also conceded that the assessment results point to systemic weaknesses in Philippine education.

“I agree that whatever problem we are facing now, as indicated by the assessment results, is really a broader failure of the education system,” she said, while clarifying that she would not characterize the situation as a failure of the K-to-12 program alone.

In response, DepEd said it has begun implementing learning recovery measures aimed at identifying and assisting students with weak literacy skills before the opening of the new school year.

The agency will also conduct literacy assessments from June 8 to 11 to identify learners who require targeted interventions and tutoring support before the new school year begins.

“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,” she said.

The department is likewise banking on the implementation of a three-term school calendar, which Oracion described as a key component of its learning recovery strategy.

Under the proposed setup, schools will have dedicated periods not only for classroom instruction but also for remediation, enrichment programs, and co-curricular activities intended to address learning gaps.

“There's a dedicated time for teaching and learning,” Oracion said. “There's also a dedicated time for remediation, enrichment, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities.”

Despite ongoing reforms, the undersecretary acknowledged that teacher workload remains a challenge. She said DepEd has simplified administrative requirements but recognized persistent complaints from teachers who continue to juggle instructional and non-teaching tasks.

The literacy findings have intensified concerns over the state of learning outcomes in the country. EDCOM 2 earlier described the results as alarming, warning that weak reading comprehension among senior high school students could affect workforce readiness and future economic productivity.