MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday (May 1) assured the public that the government is ramping up educational interventions in response to reports that over 18 million high school graduates from 2019 to 2024 are considered “functionally illiterate.”

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized that the agency is shifting away from rote memorization and focusing instead on developing students' critical thinking and equipping them with essential 21st-century skills.

“We will not allow any child to be left behind in reading and comprehension,” Angara said. “The recent FLEMMS findings on functional literacy affirm what we have long recognized — literacy must be the core of our education reforms.”

He added that the government is enhancing teaching methods, improving assessment systems, and strengthening remedial and literacy programs across schools.

Angara reaffirmed DepEd’s commitment to ensuring that every Filipino learner attains functional literacy and is prepared for future challenges.

Lawmakers sounded the alarm on Wednesday after the release of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), which revealed that more than 18 million high school graduates in recent years are unable to read and comprehend effectively.

The Philippine Statistics Authority defines functional literacy as the ability to read, write, perform basic calculations, and comprehend written texts.