Nearly half of Davao region learners are struggling readers, EDCOM 2 says
A DepEd assessment cited by the Second Congressional Commission on Education found that 45 percent of learners in Davao City had difficulty reading at the start of school year 2026-2027.
Almost half of learners in the Davao region were struggling readers when school year 2026-2027 opened, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2). The figure for Davao City was 45 percent, Philstar reported.
EDCOM 2 based its findings on a Department of Education (DepEd) assessment conducted in June. The assessment found that 48 percent of learners across the region had difficulty reading.
Under DepEd Memorandum 64, learners at the low-emerging level have a limited grasp of letters and their sounds and find it hard to blend sounds and read simple words. Those at the high-emerging level can recognise most letters but still struggle to decode words at their grade level.
EDCOM 2 said the regional results mirror national findings, where 45 percent of assessed learners were classified as struggling readers. The commission also said reading proficiency drops as students move up through school. It falls from 30.52 percent in Grade 3 to 19.56 percent in Grade 6, then to 0.74 percent in Grade 10 and 0.40 percent in Grade 12.
Among Davao City learners who were assessed, 25 percent, or 8,453 students, were classified as independent readers. Another 29 percent, or 10,097, were at the instructional level, and 46 percent, or 15,914, were at the frustration level, EDCOM 2 said.
At the provincial level, EDCOM 2 cited end-of-school-year results from the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment for 2025-2026. Davao Occidental had the highest rate of struggling readers in the region at 18.5 percent. It was followed by Davao del Norte at 14.8 percent, Davao Oriental at 13.4 percent, Davao de Oro at 10.1 percent and Davao del Sur at 9.5 percent.
EDCOM 2 executive director Karol Mark Yee said the learning crisis built up over many years. "We must act now to address illiteracy, especially among children in Grades 1 to 3," he said. Yee warned that children who do not get timely help risk being promoted without fully understanding their lessons.
Why it matters for Davao
The findings suggest that a large share of Davao City schoolchildren may need extra reading support, especially in the early grades. EDCOM 2 warned that without timely help, these children risk moving up a grade without understanding their lessons.
This article was written by the DavaoNews desk with AI assistance, using reporting by Philstar. Facts come from the original report, which we credit and link below. Our editorial policy
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