Gov alarmed; public school literacy drops

By Leander C. Domingo

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- Amid the alarming drop in the literacy rate in the province of Cagayan, Gov. Manuel Mamba has issued an executive order that aims to give priority for the effective implementation of the education system in public schools.

    In his executive order 1, series of 2023, Mamba is ordering the municipal chief executives and the schools division superintendent to strictly implement the education system in public schools and fully support the learning recovery plans of the Department of Education.

    He said the issuance is in response to the province's alarming decline in the literacy rate and the ballooning number of learners who can't read well in the province.

    Mamba added that the EO aims to give priority to the effective implementation of the education system to combat the low rate of literacy in public schools.

    According to Claire Lunas, the provincial government's consultant for education, the latest survey shows that 12.72 percent or 29,529 of the 231,667 students enrolled in public schools in Cagayan cannot read well.

    Lunas also noted that based on the 2017-2018 early language, literacy and numeracy assessment, the province of Cagayan has a literacy rate of 49.52 percent.

    She said the results of the survey are worrying. However, Lunas is confident the EO can help improve the literacy rate among schoolchildren in the province.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Orlando Manuel, Schools Division superintendent, said the Department of Education (DepEd) in the province is thankful to the governor for his support of the department's recovery program.

    "We thank the governor for issuing the executive order. We view it as a big support to our recovery plans and the DepEd's order from Vice President Sara Duterte," Manuel said.

    Giving assurance that they will follow or comply with the EO, Dr. Wilma Bumagat, Cagayan Assistant Schools Division superintendent, said they will support the provincial government's move to address the problem.

    Lunas said the local chief executives, including parents, have a big role in monitoring school children to achieve quality education.

    One of the reasons for the decline of literacy is the learning gap caused by the two-year pandemic.