The Department of Education in Cebu Province is intensifying literacy programs as reading comprehension difficulties continue to affect learners across the province and wider Central Visayas.
DepEd Cebu acknowledged that reading challenges remain widespread, prompting expanded remediation efforts in schools under its jurisdiction.
Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Senen Priscillo Paulin said the concern is not isolated to specific areas but is observed across all schools covered by the province.
“This is a universal concern. The reading comprehension concern of our school children… it’s not only in selected schools. All schools have that,” Paulin said.
He clarified that the scope covers 1,143 schools under Cebu Province, excluding schools in Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Danao City, Bogo City, Naga City, Talisay City, and Carcar City.
At the national level, findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) showed that reading struggles remain a major issue among Filipino learners.
Data from the Department of Education’s March 2026 Senior High School Literacy and Numeracy Assessment indicated that about 1.3 million out of 1.4 million Grade 11 students assessed nationwide had difficulty understanding what they read.
EDCOM II also noted regional disparities in literacy performance, with Region VII, which includes Cebu, recording a higher share of struggling readers compared to several other regions.
Despite this, the commission said overall reading performance improved in School Year 2025–2026, although significant gaps remain.
DepEd data cited by EDCOM II showed that around 40 percent of learners were classified as struggling readers at the start of the school year.
By March 2026, the share of learners achieving grade-level reading readiness rose from 19 percent to 48 percent, reflecting a 29-percentage-point improvement.
However, the report stressed that nearly half of learners nationwide still fall below expected reading proficiency levels.
In response, DepEd Cebu Province has aligned its initiatives with the national Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which focuses on addressing learning gaps through structured interventions.
Paulin said the program adopts a nationwide tutoring approach to support learners who need reading assistance.
“The ARAL program is a whole-nation approach. We are training tutors to conduct reading remediation classes for learners who need support,” he said.
He added that Cebu had already implemented its own localized tutoring system even before the national rollout, including a “tutor-for-every-reader” strategy in selected schools.
Paulin also noted that the province’s literacy drive is supported by the Provincial School Board, which has allocated funding for reading materials and is studying additional support for reading tutors in the coming phases.
Photo courtesy of GlobalGiving
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