Iloilo scores lowest in literacy in Region 6

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ILOILO CITY — Authorities from the education sector here are alarmed after Iloilo province registered the lowest literacy rate among all areas in Region 6 (Western Visayas) based on a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) survey.

The 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (Flemms) showed that Iloilo province posted a basic literacy rate of 88.6 percent and a functional literacy rate of just 68.4 percent.

Iloilo City also recorded relatively low numbers with 89.9 percent in basic literacy and 70.7 percent in functional literacy. Capiz followed closely with ratings of 89.3 percent and 70.9 percent, respectively.

The PSA defines basic literacy as the ability to read, write and perform simple arithmetic among individuals age 5 and above.

Functional literacy, assessed among respondents age 10 to 64, includes the capacity to understand and apply written information in daily life.

Aklan, meanwhile, emerged as the top-performing province, recording the highest basic literacy rate of 92.1 percent and functional literacy of 73.9 percent.

Despite Iloilo's lagging figures, the Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas offered a nuanced interpretation.

Chief education supervisor Elena Gonzaga said DepEd's own assessments show more promising results for Iloilo, citing the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment and the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory.

"In the province of Iloilo, based on the Flemms results, they are the lowest, but based on our contextualized assessment they performed well," said Gonzaga.

She noted that the province's vast school division — the largest in the region — may result in some areas being overlooked.

Gonzaga also acknowledged that the PSA findings serve as a "wake-up call" for the division's Curriculum Implementation Division to reassess strategies and identify gaps.

"I'm not happy, but on the other hand, we have our own points, or insights that we can gain with the evaluation of external partners, we can see the performance," she said.

Gonzaga said that they will have a review of current practices and better coordination with the schools division to respond to the 2024 PSA survey results.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga attributed Aklan's strong performance to its close coordination between schools and local government units, particularly during the Curriculum Implementation Plan Review and Assessment.

The province is also one of the top-performing divisions in both academic and athletic areas, she added.

"For Aklan, it is not only in the result of the Flemms that they have a high percentage. They are also performing as to the result of the regional achievement measure," Gonzaga said.

The 2024 Flemms revealed that 9 out of 10 people in Western Visayas are basically literate, while 7 out of 10 are functionally literate.

On a national ranking, Western Visayas ranked 8th in basic literacy and 6th in functional literacy.

The PSA survey, conducted in October 2024, covered 8,497 households and 27,754 individuals aged 5 years and older across the region.