EDITORIAL — Reading slump

Earlier this month we wrote an editorial about how the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests showed that 15-year-old Filipino students of every background achieved better reading scores in the 2025 PISA than in 2022.

That was the good news. Now for the bad news.

According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education, 10% of learners in Grades 1 to 3 remained struggling readers based on the End-of-School-Year (EOSY) 2025-2026 assessment, which covered at least 5,127,670 pupils.

The study showed that Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao recorded the highest proportion of struggling readers at 25.5%, followed by SOCCSKSARGEN at 17.7%, and the Zamboanga Peninsula at 14.7%.

Bicol ranked fourth, with 12%, followed by Davao, 11.7%; MIMAROPA, 11.3%; Negros Island Region and Central Visayas, 10.4% each; Caraga, 10%; Davao del Sur, 9.5%, Ilocos, 9.4%; Northern Mindanao, 9.3%; Cagayan Valley, 8.6%; Western Visayas, 8.2%; Central Luzon, 7.9%; Eastern Visayas, 7.2%; and Calabarzon, 6.7%.

The Cordillera Administrative Region and the National Capital Region recorded the lowest proportions, at 5.3% each.

Another test conducted for the EOSY also found that in Davao City only 25% of senior high school learners were considered independent readers.

We hate to compare, but it has to be said that most of the older generations were already competent and independent readers even at Grade 1.

This was because of several factors. Parents and teachers were more strict disciplinarians then. There were also lesser distractions like gadgets and phones and absolutely no internet. Perhaps it can also be said that back then students were made to understand that reading was going to be an important life skill. We can even surmise that reading was learned better because there were more actual books and more occasions to read them.

As mentioned in a previous editorial, being literate opens up someone to better job or career opportunities in life. Even those handling the most menial jobs need to read to understand manuals, special instructions, and even warnings, so it is pretty much inevitable.

We have to make sure our students become functionally literate and able to read on their own.