In Iloilo City: Average of 12 1st graders per school can't read

By Erly C. Garcia

The Iloilo Schools Division of the Department of Education (DepEd) will put priority on the improvement of reading and comprehension skills of Grade 1 pupils in Iloilo City to address the low results in reading tests for the last two years.

Luz Delos Reyes, English Supervisor of the Division of Iloilo, said school principals in the city's 52 public elementary schools have been urged to implement intervention programs to address the low reading rate of young pupils in the city.

She said the city suffered low results in reading tests for two consecutive years already.

Delos Reyes was guest in the launching of the Caltex Mentor Program last Saturday at the Jalandoni Memorial Elementary School in Lapuz.

The Caltex Mentor Program is a volunteer program of Caltex Phils., in cooperation with Rotary Club of Metro Iloilo, that focuses on teaching public school students in Reading.

Data from the DepEd showed that out of the 7,756 Grade 1 pupils given pre-test and post-test last year, 600 pupils or 7.73% do not know how to read.

While 2,500 of the total number of pupils are considered on the frustration level as far as comprehension is concerned.

Delos Reyes said, on the average, twelve Grade 1 pupils per school do not know how to read.

The figure is not that alarming, she said, but needs to be immediately addressed.

Delos Reyes attributed the relatively high number of non-reading pupils in Iloilo City to various factors to include: poor economic conditions of students, malnutrition and poor study habits.

She said, based on their study many children are usually absent from their classes as they are they are being made to help their parents earn a living.

Delos Reyes admitted though that many teachers are not trained for special education.

However, she said, their office is doing its best to address the situation.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas who was also guest in the launching asked for the cooperation of parents to solve this problem.

He said improvement of the childrens' reading skills should start at home.

Treñas admitted that the status of learning of elementary pupils in the city presents a very bleak situation.

He assured that the city government is doing its best to address the problem by implementing remedial English program to all schools in the city's six districts.