Nearly half of Davao learners are struggling readers, EDCOM 2 says
Education commission data show 45 percent of assessed learners in Davao City struggle with basic reading, with gaps persisting into senior high school.
About 45 percent of learners assessed in Davao City were classified as struggling readers at the start of School Year 2026–2027, according to data released Tuesday by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), the Daily Tribune reported.
The figures come from the Department of Education's (DepEd) June 2026 literacy assessment. Across the Davao Region, the share of struggling readers was 48 percent, higher than the national rate of 45 percent. DepEd defines struggling readers as children who have trouble recognising letters and their sounds or decoding words suited to their grade level.
The problem extends to senior high school. A separate assessment at the end of SY 2025–2026 placed 45 percent of assessed Grade 11 learners in the region at the Frustration level, which signals serious reading difficulties. Another 34 percent needed instructional support, and only 21 percent could read independently.
In Davao City, 15,914 Grade 11 students, or 46 percent of those assessed, were at the Frustration level, while 8,453 students, or 25 percent, were independent readers.
Among provincial divisions, Davao Oriental had the highest share of Grade 11 learners at the Frustration level at 63 percent, followed by Davao del Norte and Davao Occidental at 56 percent each.
Earlier assessments of Grades 1 to 3 also showed uneven results. Davao Occidental had the highest provincial rate of struggling readers at 18.5 percent, followed by Davao del Norte at 14.8 percent and Davao Oriental at 13.4 percent. Talaingod in Davao del Norte posted the highest municipal rate at 49.6 percent, or 1,184 struggling readers.
EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee said the crisis had built up over years and called for immediate action, particularly for children in Grades 1 to 3. "We are seeing Grade 8 students who struggle to read a sentence, and Grade 9 students who should be studying Shakespeare but still struggle to read a paragraph," Yee said.
Nationally, the commission said reading proficiency stood at 30.52 percent in Grade 3, falling to 19.56 percent in Grade 6, 0.74 percent in Grade 10 and 0.40 percent in Grade 12.
Why it matters for Davao
The data indicate that many Davao City students, including thousands about to finish senior high school, lack basic reading skills, which affects their readiness for further study and work.
This article was written by the DavaoNews desk with AI assistance, using reporting by Daily Tribune. Facts come from the original report, which we credit and link below. Our editorial policy
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