PSA: Nearly 19 Million Junior and Senior High School Graduates in 2024 Struggle with Reading Proficiency

Alarming figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that nearly 19 million students who graduated from junior and senior high school in 2024 cannot read and understand a simple story — raising concerns about the country’s basic education system.

The data was disclosed during a Senate education committee hearing held on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs the panel, expressed deep concern over the issue, stressing that functional literacy is a non-negotiable outcome of education.

“If you look at the 2024 figure, there are 18.96 million students that the PSA detected who graduated from our basic education system, but they are not functionally literate,” said Gatchalian. “That means they cannot read, understand, or comprehend a simple story.”

Functional literacy, as defined by the PSA, refers to the ability to read, write, compute, and comprehend basic material. Gatchalian emphasized that students should not be allowed to graduate if they are not functionally literate, calling the situation a major failure in the country's education goals.

During the same hearing, Assistant National Statistician Adrian Cerezo presented data indicating that only 79 percent of senior high school graduates in 2024 met the criteria for functional literacy. This means that about 21 percent — or one in five graduates — are unable to understand even the most basic written content.

“That’s not in your presentation, but it’s alarming,” Gatchalian pointed out. “One out of every five of our graduates cannot comprehend a single story. This is something we must urgently address.”

The Senate hearing also touched on the broader issue of literacy in the Philippines. According to PSA data, an estimated 24.8 million Filipinos have difficulty understanding a simple story — highlighting the magnitude of the literacy crisis.

In terms of regional literacy disparities, several provinces showed significantly high illiteracy rates. Tawi-Tawi topped the list with 67 percent of its population considered illiterate. Other provinces with alarming statistics include Davao Occidental (53 percent), Zamboanga del Sur (49 percent), Northern Samar (48 percent), Basilan (48 percent), Sarangani (48 percent), Western Samar (46 percent), Agusan del Norte (44 percent), Sultan Kudarat (44 percent), and Lanao del Norte (44 percent).

These figures underscore the need for urgent reforms in the education sector, particularly in curriculum development, teacher training, and assessment standards. Gatchalian noted that addressing these issues should be a top priority if the country hopes to improve its global educational standing and ensure that future graduates can meet even the most basic literacy expectations.

As the Senate continues its inquiry into the country’s learning crisis, stakeholders are calling for a comprehensive review of the basic education system and immediate steps to guarantee that no student graduates without the ability to read and comprehend — a foundational skill for all aspects of life.