Amid the nationwide celebration of the National Reading Month this November, Senator Win Gatchalian presses the need to improve learners’ reading proficiency to address the country’s education crisis.
Following the signing of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act (Republic Act No. 12028), Gatchalian is counting on the rollout of well-systematized tutorial sessions and well-organized intervention plans to boost literacy and improve reading proficiency among learners. The law, which Gatchalian authored and sponsored, establishes the ARAL Program to provide a national learning intervention program that will ensure mastery of essential competencies and make up for learning loss.
The ARAL Program covers essential learning competencies under the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, specifically reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and science for Grades 3 to 10. The program also aims to strengthen Kindergarten learners’ literacy and numeracy competencies to build on their foundational skills.
Gatchalian recalled the results of international large-scale assessments to highlight the urgency of improving learners’ reading proficiency. Results of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed that the Philippines placed 76th out of 81 countries when it comes to reading. Results of the triennial assessment also revealed that 76% of the country’s 15-year-old learners have not achieved the minimum proficiency in reading.
“Sa pagsugpo natin sa krisis sa edukasyon na hinaharap ng bansa, mahalagang hakbang ang pagtiyak na marunong bumasa at umunawa ng kanilang binabasa ang ating mga mag-aaral. Sa pagpapatupad ng ARAL Program at sa iba pang programang isinusulong natin para sa pagbasa, matutulungan natin ang ating mga kabataang magkaroon ng matibay na pundasyon sa kanilang pag-aaral,” said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.
Gatchalian is also pushing to institutionalize the celebration of National Reading Month during the month of November. The National Reading Month Act (Senate Bill No. 475), which he filed, seeks the conduct of reading activities to inculcate the culture of reading among basic education learners and their communities.
