MANILA— Nearly half of learners assessed in the Davao Region were classified as struggling readers at the start of School Year 2026–2027, prompting calls for stronger literacy programs and early intervention, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).

The Department of Education’s (DepEd) Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA) in June found that 48% of assessed learners in Region XI and 45% in Davao City fell under the Low-Emerging and High-Emerging reading levels.

Under DepEd Memorandum 64, series of 2025, learners at the Low-Emerging level have limited mastery of letters and their sounds and struggle to blend sounds and read simple words. Those at the High-Emerging level can recognize most letters but still have difficulty decoding words appropriate for their grade.

The figures mirror the national situation, where 45% of assessed learners were also identified as struggling readers, EDCOM 2 said.

Reading proficiency also declines as students advance through the education system. National data showed proficiency dropping from 30.52% in Grade 3 to 19.56% in Grade 6, 0.74% in Grade 10 and 0.40% in Grade 12.

Davao provinces show literacy gaps

End-of-school-year CRLA results for School Year 2025–2026 showed differences in foundational reading performance among the five provinces in the Davao Region, based on learners in Grades 1 to 3.

Davao Occidental recorded the highest proportion of struggling readers at 18.5%, equivalent to 3,471 learners. Davao del Norte followed with 14.8%, or 8,502 learners, while Davao Oriental posted 13.4%, or 4,522 learners.

Davao de Oro registered 10.1%, representing 4,047 learners, while Davao del Sur had the lowest proportion among the five provinces at 9.5%, or 3,346 learners.

At the municipal level, Talaingod in Davao del Norte had the region’s highest share of struggling readers at 49.6%, or 1,184 learners.

San Isidro and Kapalong, also in Davao del Norte, followed with 24.6% (32 learners) and 23% (37 learners), respectively.

In Davao Occidental, Don Marcelino recorded 22.3%, or 600 struggling readers, while Malita posted 21.6%, or 1,507 learners.

Among municipalities with lower proportions, Mawab in Davao de Oro recorded 3.6%, or 80 learners, followed by Compostela at 3.8%, or 155 learners, and Nabunturan at 5.9%, or 247 learners.

“The learning crisis did not happen overnight, it has compounded over the years. We must act now to address illiteracy, especially among children in Grades 1 to 3. Every child who continues to struggle with reading needs timely support. Otherwise, they risk moving up to the next grade without fully understanding their lessons. We must work together to ensure that no child is left behind in learning,” EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee said.

Reading difficulties persist in senior high school

Reading gaps remain evident among older learners, according to the pilot Senior High School (SHS) Literacy and Numeracy Assessment administered to Grade 11 students in public and private schools at the end of School Year 2025–2026.

In Davao City, 46% of assessed learners, or 15,914 students, were classified at the Frustration level. Another 29%, or 10,097 learners, were at the Instructional level, while 25%, or 8,453 students, were classified as Independent Readers.

Across Region XI, 45% of assessed senior high school learners were at the Frustration level and 34% at the Instructional level. Independent Readers accounted for 21% of the assessed learners, higher than the national figure of 13%.

Provincial results showed that Davao Oriental had the highest proportion of learners at the Frustration level, at 63%, or 4,200 students. Davao del Norte and Davao Occidental followed at 56%, representing 4,050 and 1,827 learners, respectively.

Yee warned that reading difficulties could prevent students from understanding lessons across different subjects, including those that require stronger comprehension skills.

“We are seeing Grade 8 students who struggle to read a sentence, and Grade 9 students who should be studying Shakespeare but still struggle to read a paragraph. At their grade-level, they are also expected to learn physics and geometry. But how can they absorb these lessons when they are still struggling with reading comprehension?” he said.

He stressed that literacy interventions must begin early and continue for students who remain behind as they progress through school.

“We cannot wait until learners reach senior high school before addressing the gaps. The data shows us that when these difficulties are not addressed early, they can compound and become harder to overcome,” Yee said.

He urged local government units, universities, parents and community leaders to work with DepEd to improve reading outcomes, emphasizing the role of local leadership in monitoring school performance and supporting struggling learners.

“We need local government units, universities, and local communities to come together and work with DepEd to seriously address illiteracy. We have seen that when mayors actively monitor improvements in reading and school performance, progress tends to be greater. We need that kind of commitment and collaboration across communities to ensure that struggling readers get the support they need,” he said.