EDITORIAL — No urban advantage

The quality of formal education in highly urbanized areas such as Metro Manila is supposed to be better than in less developed communities.

Results of the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment or CRLA for school year 2025-2026, however, showed a high number of struggling readers among early-grade learners in Metro Manila.

CRLA data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education or EDCOM II showed Pasay City with the highest number of struggling readers among early-grade students, at 47.50 percent. Following within the 40-percent range, from highest to lowest, were Muntinlupa, Manila, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, Malabon, Mandaluyong and Pateros.

Within the 30-percent range, again in descending order, were Quezon City, Pasig, Marikina, Taguig, San Juan, Caloocan and Makati. Only Valenzuela had struggling readers numbering below 30 percent, at 27.44 percent.

The situation was worse in several urban centers outside Metro Manila, with Zamboanga City posting the highest share of struggling readers at 60.74 percent. Iloilo City followed with 51.93 percent; Cagayan de Oro, 50.50 percent, and Tacloban with 49.95 percent.

If these are the result in urban areas, what’s the situation like in less developed parts of the country?

Results of the CRLA were consistent with what EDCOM II has described as a “learning crisis,” with approximately 85 percent of students nationwide from Grades 1 to 3 classified as struggling readers.

With such results among early-grade learners, it’s little wonder that by the time students reach age 15, they have weak competencies in mathematics, science and reading comprehension. This was reflected in all three instances when the country participated in the Program for International Student Assessment.

Reading forms the backbone of formal education. Reading comprehension must be honed from the early learning years. Those left behind in terms of reading comprehension will find it tough to catch up with peers who do not suffer from this learning disability.

Students in big cities are supposed to enjoy an “urban advantage” as there are more classrooms, teachers and equipment for formal education.

The CRLA results, however, make urban advantage a myth.

An official of EDCOM II cited several factors behind the problem. One is overcrowded classrooms, compounded by continuing urban migration with no corresponding increase in school capacity.

Due to the classroom shortage, the official said schools are forced to hold double or even triple shifts. This means shorter hours for formal education and unwieldy class sizes that make it impossible to give struggling readers the individualized interventions that they need.

Among students who move to the cities from underdeveloped communities, the literacy gap is usually wider. This makes the burden heavier for teachers handling transferees. When handling two or three class shifts per day, teachers are also prone to “rapid burnout,” the EDCOM II official noted.

Another school year is approaching. The government must move quickly and decisively to ease this problem before classes start.