Teacher Babylyn Deomampo looks at notes from her desk at the Jorge Vargas Memorial Elementary School in Talisay Batangas a day after volcanic smog cleared from Volcano island in Taal Batangas on August 20, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — A group of teachers on Monday rejected a "growing narrative" faulting teachers for the low levels of functional literacy among senior high school graduates, saying it was a reflection of "chronic neglect of our educational systems."

DepEd vows to address 'functional illiteracy' among senior high grads

"We strongly reject and denounce the growing narrative in some quarters that the solution lies primarily in retraining teachers, as if they are to blame for the failures of the system. This perspective is not only flawed—it is profoundly unjust," Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) said in a statement.

"Let us be clear: this crisis is not the fault of our teachers," it added.

Over 24 million Filipinos functionally illiterate: Gatchalian

During a Senate hearing last week, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) presented its 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) that found "only 79 percent of SHS graduates in the K to 12 curriculum are functionally literate."

'SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE'

"Teachers are not the problem; they are among the primary victims of a system riddled with underfunding, misguided policies, and deep-rooted socio-economic inequalities," the TDC said.

According to TDC, there were many societal ills that may have led to the students not fully understanding their lessons.

"[M]illions of Filipino children... go to school hungry, who struggle to understand lessons while preoccupied with basic survival. These are the same learners who walk long distances to reach overcrowded... whose parents can barely afford their school supplies," TDC said.

"This is not merely a literacy issue—it is a social justice issue," it added.

The TDC also pointed out that the budget allocation for the education sector "once again falls far below the constitutional mandate."

"Worse, we continue to witness a significant portion of public funds being funneled into questionable programs... This rampant misuse of taxpayers money robs our children and our future of the resources they rightfully deserve," it said.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

The TDC said that to improve functional literacy, the government must first address the following "root" problems:

• Hunger and poverty that learners face

• Demoralization and burnout of teachers

• Deteriorating state of our classroom

• Chronic lack of learning resources

• Curriculum that overwhelms but underdelivers

"This crisis cannot be solved by blaming those who have kept the system afloat. It can only be solved by funding them, supporting them, and listening to them," TDC said.

Miseducation produced millions of functionally illiterate Filipinos — Gatchalian

On Saturday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said "miseducation" or the country’s “weak” education system has resulted in millions of functionally illiterate Filipinos.

The Department of Education has also vowed stronger intervention to curb the decline in functional literacy of Filipino senior high school graduates.

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