Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Teacher Rodora Santos facilitates the Literacy Remediation Program for Grades 4 and 5 pupils at Kamuning Elementary School in Quezon City on Wednesday, May 21. The program aims to help struggling readers strengthen their foundational skills. Kamuning Elementary School also officially opens the Fun Field Reading Camp, an engaging summer initiative that combines learning with play to make reading more enjoyable for students. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Teacher Rodora Santos facilitates the Literacy Remediation Program for Grades 4 and 5 pupils at Kamuning Elementary School in Quezon City on Wednesday, May 21. The program aims to help struggling readers strengthen their foundational skills. Kamuning Elementary School also officially opens the Fun Field Reading Camp, an engaging summer initiative that combines learning with play to make reading more enjoyable for students. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News 

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Around 87% of Grade 11 students in the Department of Education’s March 2026 pilot run of its Senior High School Literacy Assessment were not &quot;independent&quot; readers, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).</p><p>“Independent” readers are able to “comprehend and understand” material based on their level.</p><p>“Only 12% of learners in the 11th Grade level are independent learners or readers that are fully able to comprehend and understand as expected from their grade level what the outcome or the information is supposed to be,” EDCOM II’s Atty. Simoun Salinas told the House Committee on Basic Education on Thursday.</p><p>The assessment further showed that 872,906 or 58.92% of Grade 11 learners remained at the lowest “frustration” level, and 422,497 or 28.5% were at the “instructional” level.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/18/deped-strengthening-foundational-learning-to-address-plunging-student-proficiency-2152">DepEd strengthening foundational learning to address plunging student proficiency<br/></a></div><p>He said these students “feel frustration at not being able to achieve or present the learning outcomes as presented.&quot; </p><p>Salinas acknowledged that  &quot;87% of Grade 11 students is a big number that we want to address.”</p><p>Across all grade levels, 40% of all still struggle in terms of the reading comprehension and understanding, despite scalable and implemented learning recovery programs, he added.</p><p>EDCOM 2 cited challenges in the implementation of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Summer Program, including dependence on teacher volunteers, “multiple errors” in learning materials, and low participation among students</p><p>It recommended a review of the Grade 12 design under the Strengthened Senior High School, and differentiated intervention programs, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;FOCUS ON BASICS&#x27;</strong></div><p>House Committee on Basic Education Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo said the assessment figures show literacy gaps, which the DepEd needs to address immediately.</p><p>“Nakikita natin may issue talaga sa kalidad ng edukasyon...Baka dapat talagang ito muna ang pagtuunan ng pansin: reading, reading, reading. ‘Yung reading comprehension, mathematics. Pero ‘yung mga advanced na students, sila ang pwede magpatuloy ng regular programming,” he said.</p><p>“Mag-decide na ang DepEd. Sobra na ba ‘yung competencies nila na naiiwanan na tayo? Baka dapat focus muna sa pinaka-basic. Again, kung one sem lang naman, one year, desisyunan nila. Pero dapat ilatag nila sa ating lahat na ito ‘yung solusyon na naiisip ng DepEd, para kahit pa paano medyo matulungan medyo malutas na natin itong problema on reading comprehension,” Romulo added.</p><p>For ACT Teachers Party List Rep. Antonio Tinio, the assessment figures show that the K-12 program failed.</p><p>“Hindi pwedeng sabihin isang factor lamang ito, kundi ‘yung buong sistema mismo at ‘yung mga incentives at all levels, from the individual, from the teacher level, to the school level, hanggang sa buong sistema, ‘yun ang lumikha ng ganitong sitwasyon,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/7/marcos-wants-ph-to-get-back-to-having-highest-literacy-rate-in-asia-1242">Marcos wants PH to reclaim ‘highest literacy rate in Asia’</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WILL CHANGE IN ACADEMIC CALENDAR HELP?</strong></div><p>Asked whether the three-term school calendar will help address the gaps, Tinio and Romulo gave this response.</p><p>“Whether three semesters o four quarters, kailangan matugunan na nila yung issue of quality education, yung reading comprehension, kasi ‘yun talaga ‘yung issue eh,” Romulo said.</p><p>“Well, ang intention is to improve, pero ngayon nakikita natin na minamadali, walang piloting, kahit sa training pa lamang, ‘yun ang narinig natin dito na… Central office lang ang nagte-train at nag-o-orient para sa almost one million teachers ng DepEd… ‘Yung training, ang nangyayari, mga massive watch parties basically, up to 10,000 sa isang session. Paano talaga magiging effective?” Tinio said, calling for a pilot, instead of full implementation this school year.</p><p>Teachers’ Dignity Coalition’s Benjo Basas raised similar concerns, as he called for a halt in the implementation of the three-term school calendar.</p>

<p>Around 87% of Grade 11 students in the Department of Education’s March 2026 pilot run of its Senior High School Literacy Assessment were not "independent" readers, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).</p>

Around 87% of Grade 11 students in the Department of Education’s March 2026 pilot run of its Senior High School Literacy Assessment were not "independent" readers, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).

87% of Grade 11 students assessed are 'non-independent' readers — EDCOM 2

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87% of Grade 11 students assessed are 'non-independent' readers — EDCOM 2

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 28, 2026 07:12 PM PHT

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