Bicol has around 76,000 ‘struggling readers’ — DepEd exec

There are about 76,000 students who are struggling to read in the Bicol Region, according to an official of the Department of Education (DepEd).

DepEd-Bicol Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad mentioned the said figure during a press conference held last February 10.

"Something about 76,000... those non-readers, struggling readers," he said, while noting that this number covers learners from Grade 1 to senior high school.

"Most of the divisions ay nagla-launch na ng response sa hamon na ito... Bawat school nagka-craft sila ng intervention programs," he added.

Sadsad said that in line with the goal of  making every child a reader, the DepEd-Bicol has already launched the "Bawat Batang Bicolano Bihasang Bumasa" program.

Asked for further details, DepEd spokesperson Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said that the department's central office has yet to receive more information from the regional office.

The Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (PHIL-IRI)—where the figure was attributed to by another report —is a diagnostic tool or a pre-test at the beginning of the school year to identify students in need of intervention, she said.

"PHIL-IRI is not a single test for grades, but tests are distinct at every grade level to assess against reading proficiency expected for the grade level," Sevilla added.

DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan, in a separate interview on Dobol B sa News TV, said the information released by the regional office is still for further verification.

"The official PHIL-IRI na ina-administer in all regions, as far as we know are from Grades 3 onwards mayroon diyan for English and Filipino," he said.

"Ang standardized tools namin ay from Grades 3 onwards so baka naggawa ng localized diagnostics for Grades 1 and 2... that data is something that we will have to clarify and correct," he added.

Malaluan, nevertheless, acknowledged that many Filipino students are having difficulties in developing foundational skills such as reading comprehension.

"We are knowing, we are accepting, and we are facing the challenge," he said.

The Philippines performed the poorest out of 79 countries in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exam—a reading literacy assessment conducted by the inter-government group Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News