EPIDEMIC OF ILLITERACY

Since the onset of the entire pandemic crisis, the national issue of reading in the Philippines has drastically amplified over time due to the circumstances that concern the impact of the new normal on learning efficiency. With how problematic enough our national statistics in reading comprehension and literacy are, it would be critically detrimental for the nation’s academe should no comprehensive response be taken by relevant government agencies – tending to both biological and educational concerns at once will surely not end well for the nation and its limited resources.

With regards to the matter of illiteracy, there had been a controversial 2019 study conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) on February specifying that “more than 70,000 elementary students in Bicol cannot read in both English and Filipino” in its initial results. This all the more reinforces the legitimacy of the Philippines’ ranking in the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (Pisa), coming in last in reading among 79 countries and economies. The scope of this matter poses a serious threat to the future of our country and its working force.

However, as per CNN Philippines, on “…the third quarter of 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ranked the Philippines above its Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of literacy with 97.95 percent of the total population able to read, write, and count, surpassing even more economically advanced nations like Singapore.” Yet, if this is truly the case, then it is contradictory with the observable fact that tons of Filipinos struggle daily below the poverty line – something that would not be the case with a population that apparently stands tall above others in terms of reading proficiency.

This brings us to the problem of reading comprehension. Hand in hand, these two factors are behind the alarming state of the average Filipino’s reading ability. As much as the academic sector aims to address this, it continues to be visible that we are a long way from achieving high levels of student literateness; to think that these controversies plagued the academe at a time when there was no pandemic to address makes it all the more frustrating.

Moreover, now that a new normal has been brought forward, teachers are made incapable of fully assessing the state and requirements of their students, further worsening the issue of literacy and reading comprehension due to the inability to effectively notice and tackle them in person.

As such, St. Edward School (SES), has taken appropriate measures to deal with this glaring problem. In light of the matter, SES is in the midst of a Book Month Celebration with the theme “Pagbasa at Pag-asa sa Gitna ng Pandemya” in hopes of raising awareness in reading. The school is conducting this program “with hope and optimism that learning continues despite the challenges of the pandemic” – an ideology that is appropriate considering the extensive scope of the reading issue.

In essence, viewing the Philippines as adequately versed in reading ability compared to some nations may be statistically correct, but it is in denial of the harsh reality that is the nation’s incapability to meet the desirable standards of literacy and reading comprehension levels; in the midst of this pandemic, wherein new inequalities, setbacks, and restrictions arise, we are significantly made unaware of just how much this reality has escalated. If we want to be able to effectively assess and tackle this controversy, then the time to bring this issue to light is now; much like how current issues are made viral via speaking up in social media, those who are in the position to do so should usher illiteracy into the national spotlight.

What should be done is to raise awareness. The nation’s poor reading comprehension and literacy levels are not puny topics to disregard and make light of. It is a constantly worsening reality, more so in this pandemic, that isn’t fully recognized by the nation since we would be seeing a comprehensive effort that bring at least small amounts of strides and progress – this is not the case, unfortunately. If it was, we would be seeing it in a national perspective of urgency; instead, our society is gradually coming to tolerate and treat it as normal, which should never be the case.

It is now the role of the people – our role – to pressure departments like DepEd and the sectors that deal with COVID-19 to recognize this viral epidemic of illiteracy. Otherwise, we may be looking at a disastrous byproduct of the educational system and the lax authorities ignorant of it.