87% of Grade 11 students struggle with reading comprehension
Nearly 9 in 10 Grade 11 students in the Philippines are not yet independent readers, raising concerns over the country’s education system and students’ readiness for college or work. A pilot assessment by the Department of Education (DepEd) found that only 12.58 percent of around 1.4 million Grade 11 learners assessed nationwide could independently read and understand texts expected at their grade level.
Most Students Need Reading Support
The Senior High School Literacy and Numeracy Assessment, conducted in March 2026, found that 58.9 percent of students were at the Frustration level, meaning they could not understand grade-level material independently. Another 28.5 percent were classified at the Instructional level and still required teacher assistance.
The findings were presented during a House committee on basic education hearing, where ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio described the results as evidence of deeper problems in the K-12 education system.
Tinio Says K-12 Has Failed To Address Learning Gaps
Tinio said the reading difficulties stem from multiple factors across the education system, including teachers, schools, policies and student promotion practices.
He also pointed to cases where students are promoted despite not meeting the required competencies, resulting in senior high school students reaching their final year without adequate reading skills.
DepEd Rolls Out Remediation Program
Following the assessment, DepEd identified incoming Grade 12 learners who needed additional support through a 20-day Senior High School Remediation Program in English during the 2026 school break. The program focused on targeted instruction, practice and learning interventions for students classified at the Frustration level.
However, Edcom 2 chief legal officer Atty. Simoun Salinas said the existing Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program (Aral) has faced challenges, including low student attendance and the lack of a policy allowing the hiring of external tutors.
Calls To Address The Reading Crisis
Tinio called for broader reforms, including higher teacher salaries, more teachers, better access to books, realistic assessments and stronger teacher training.
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo also urged DepEd to prioritize students’ reading comprehension instead of continuously introducing new policies.
The latest findings add to growing concerns about literacy in the Philippines. Earlier data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that 18.96 million Filipinos who graduated from junior and senior high school in 2024 were considered functionally illiterate, meaning they could read but had difficulty understanding what they read.
With nearly 9 in 10 Grade 11 students still needing reading support, the challenge now is ensuring they develop independent comprehension before completing senior high school.
