Press Release
November 26, 2022

Gatchalian on National Book Week: Improve learners' reading proficiency

Amid the celebration of National Book Week from November 24-30, Senator Win Gatchalian pressed the need for programs and interventions that would improve Filipino learners' proficiency in reading.

Gatchalian recalled that even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, international large-scale assessments show that the country's learners are already struggling to meet the minimum required proficiency in Reading. In the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Philippines scored lowest in Reading out of 79 countries that participated. Results of the PISA further show that only one out five Filipino learners aged 15 achieved at least the minimum proficiency level in Overall Reading Literacy.

Results of the 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), on the other hand, show that only 10% of the country's Grade 5 learners achieved the minimum proficiency at the end of primary education.

The World Bank also estimates that as of June 2022, learning poverty in the Philippines is 90.9%. Learning poverty is defined as the percentage of ten-year-old children who cannot read or understand a simple story. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education also pointed out that the lack of face-to-face classes during the pandemic has resulted in learning loss.

"Ang pagbabasa ay isa sa mga pundasyon na dapat nating pagtibayin sa ating mga kabataan at mag-aaral. Ngayon natin higit na kinakailangang tutukan ang kanilang pagbabasa lalo na't pinalala ng pandemya ang problema sa ating sektor ng edukasyon," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

To address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gatchalian filed Senate Bill No. 150 or the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Act, which seeks to institute a nationwide learning recovery program that will include well-systematized tutorial sessions and well-designed remediation plans. The proposed ARAL Program will also prioritize Reading to develop the critical and analytical thinking skills of learners.

Gatchalian is also proposing to officially declare November as the National Reading Month. In Senate Bill No. 475, Gatchalian proposes that the National Reading Month be celebrated through the conduct of nationwide reading programs and activities, which will inculcate a culture of reading among basic education learners and their communities.


Mensahe ni Gatchalian sa National Book Week: Kakayahan ng mag-aaral na bumasa paigtingin

Sa gitna ng pagdiriwang ng National Book Week mula Nobyembre 24-30, binigyang diin ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang kahalagahan ng mga programang magpapaigting sa kakayahan ng mga mag-aaral pagdating sa pagbabasa.

Matatandaan na bago pa sumiklab ang pandemya ng COVID-19, lumabas sa mga international large-scale assessments na napag-iiwanan na ang mga Pilipinong mag-aaral ng mga mag-aaral sa ibang bansa. Sa 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) kung saan halos walumpung (79) mga bansa ang lumahok, Pilipinas ang may pinakamababang marka pagdating sa Reading o Pagbasa. Ayon pa sa PISA, isa lamang sa limang mag-aaral na labinlimang taong gulang ang maituturing na nakakuha ng minimum proficiency sa Overall Reading Literacy.

Sa resulta naman ng 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), 10 porsyento lamang ng mga mag-aaral sa bansa ang may minimum proficiency sa pagtatapos ng kanilang primary education.

Tinataya naman ng World Bank na buhat noong Hunyo 2022, ang learning poverty sa bansa ay pumalo na sa 90.9 porsyento. Ang learning poverty ay ang bilang ng mga kabataang sampung taong gulang na hindi marunong bumasa o umunawa ng maikling kwento. Giit pa ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, nagdulot ng learning loss ang kawalan ng face-to-face classes.

"Ang pagbabasa ay isa sa mga pundasyon na dapat nating pagtibayin sa ating mga kabataan at mag-aaral. Ngayon natin higit na kinakailangang tutukan ang kanilang pagbabasa lalo na't pinalala ng pandemya ang problema sa ating sektor ng edukasyon," ani Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Upang tugunan ang naging pinsalang dulot ng pandemya ng COVID-19, inihain ni Gatchalian ang Senate Bill No. 150 o ang Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Act na layong magpatupad ng pambansang programa para sa learning recovery. Magiging bahagi ng naturang programa ang mga tutorial sessions. Bibigyan ding prayoridad ng programa ang Reading upang hasain ang critical at analytical thinking skills ng mga mag-aaral.

Ipinapanukala din ni Gatchalian na ideklara ang Nobyembre bilang National Reading Month. Sa Senate Bill No. 475, iminimungkahi ni Gatchalian ang pagkakaroon ng mga nationwide reading programs at activities bilang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ng National Reading Month. Ito ay upang isulong ang kultura ng pagbabasa sa mga mag-aaral ng basic education at kanilang mga komunidad.

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