The Department of Education (DepEd) intends to enhance the literacy and numeracy skills among school learners in the Negros Island Region (NIR).

Policy Planning and Research Division officer-in-charge (OIC) Serafin Farinas III said that DepEd-NIR will soon begin crafting its medium-term plan, with emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills, among other interventions.

“[We] would look into the enhancement and remediation activities in order for us to improve on certain grade levels or key stages,” he stressed.

Farinas said that DepEd-NIR, under the guidance of OIC Regional Director Ramir Uytico, will also focus on assessments to get a clearer picture of the level of proficiency of students, enabling the education department to provide appropriate and relevant interventions based on students’ learning needs.

Further, mechanisms to ensure the continuity of learning will be given greater attention to prepare students, teaching and non-teaching staff, and all necessary resources for alternative delivery modes of instruction during emergencies and calamities.

“We will improve our teachers’ capacities and their ability to be in the classrooms … [We] also would like to enhance the Alternative Learning System implementation,” he added.

The 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the basic and functional literacy rates in the NIR lagged behind the national levels.

For his part, chief economic development specialist Marlon Jinon, Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev)-NIR Team Leader, expressed that these figures serve as a wake-up call to all stakeholders to intensify efforts in improving the quality of education across the region.

He noted that interventions to address learning challenges among students will be incorporated and highlighted in the Regional Development Plan (RDP).

NIR’s overall basic and functional literacy rates in 2024 were reported at 87 and 65.7 percent, respectively, which are lower than the nationwide rates of 90 and 70.8 percent.

Throughout the region, the basic literacy rate is highest in Bacolod City at 93.8 percent, while the functional literacy rate is highest in Siquijor at 80 percent.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental posted the lowest basic and functional literacy rates at 83.4 and 59.4 percent, respectively.

Basic literacy refers to the ability of an individual to read and write with understanding, and compute basic arithmetic operations, while functional literacy includes basic literacy and a higher level of comprehension skills.

FLEMMS — used to be conducted every five years— will now be conducted once in three years for improved data accuracy and richer understanding of trends.

According to National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa, this will allow policy and decision-makers to develop more impactful interventions in the education sector, ensuring that today’s learners become competent and productive members of society in the future. (PIA Negros Occidental)