Understanding Functional Literacy Among High School Graduates
Recent reports highlight that 5.58 million high school graduates in the Philippines are considered “functionally illiterate,” meaning they face difficulties in comprehension and understanding. This figure was clarified by sources familiar with the matter, following earlier claims suggesting that 18.9 million junior high school graduates struggle with functional literacy.
The term “functional literacy challenges in Philippines” refers to individuals who, despite basic reading, writing, and computing abilities, have trouble understanding and processing what they read. This issue affects people across a wide age range, not just recent graduates.
Clarifying the Numbers Behind Functional Literacy
Official statistics indicate that the 18.9 million figure includes all Filipinos aged 10 to 64 who have functional literacy difficulties, regardless of their educational background. Notably, over 13 million people within this group have not completed junior or senior high school.
However, the 5.58 million figure specifically represents high school graduates, including those who completed junior high, who possess basic literacy but lack comprehensive understanding skills.
Implications for Education Quality
Community leaders emphasize that even with a high school diploma, the inability of 5.58 million individuals to fully comprehend texts raises significant concerns about the quality of education offered. One local education advocate commented, “It doesn’t make the picture any better because that means that with the 13 million you are removing, you just want to say that they weren’t able to graduate from high school—but it’s possible that they were able to reach Grade 9, Grade 8… So, it’s not reflective of a quality education being given by DepEd.”
They added, “Again, there are still 5.5 million who graduated from senior high school or high school who can’t understand what they read…that’s still 5.5 million, it’s still a lot. You just want to tell us that the 13 million were removed because they didn’t graduate, but they could have still gone to school.”
Broader Context and Moving Forward
Experts note that the functional literacy challenges in Philippines affect a broad demographic, including those who have not completed formal education. Addressing this issue requires improving comprehension skills through enhanced curricula and targeted interventions.
Moreover, the Department of Education has clarified that the broader 18.9 million figure covers a wide age range and is not limited to high school graduates. Therefore, efforts to improve functional literacy should consider all educational levels and age groups.
In conclusion, while millions of Filipinos can read and write, many still struggle to fully understand and apply the information they encounter. Tackling these functional literacy challenges in Philippines remains a critical goal for educators and policymakers alike.
For more news and updates on functional literacy challenges in Philippines, visit Filipinokami.com.