Reading, Math proficiency of Iloilo learners improves

ILOILO – The Iloilo Schools Division reported a notable decline in the number of students unable to read or perform basic mathematical calculations, thanks to the implementation of the “Tib-ong Bumulutho” program.

Dr. Ernesto Servillon Jr., superintendent of Iloilo Schools Division, highlighted the success in addressing the educational challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a drop in reading and numeracy skills due to the suspension of inperson classes.

With t he resumption of face- to- face learning, the Schools Division Office (SDO) conducted thorough pre- and post-assessments for the 20222023 School Year, utilizing the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil IRI) and the Enhanced Regional Unified Numeracy Test ( ERUNT) to evaluate student progress.

These assessments covered Grade 3 to Grade 11 students for reading and Grade 1 to Grade 11 for numeracy.

The pre-assessments were carried out at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, while the post- assessments took place in December 2023.

The results were promising: of the 225,766 learners tested ( out of 245,645 enrollees) from Grade 3 to Grade 11 in reading, 168,083 ( 74.45 percent) were below the standard reading level during the pre- assessment. This number dropped to 105,320 learners ( 46.65 percent) in the post-assessment, marking a 27.80 percent improvement.

Similarly, numeracy skills have seen notable enhancements.

The “Tib-ong Bumulutho” program, a comprehensive initiative focused on remediation in reading and numeracy, is credited for this improvement. It included capacity building for teachers, t he hiring of remedial instructors, and targeted district/municipal efforts.

Following the success of the December 2023 assessments, the program reported that 52 schools now have no nonreaders, and 59 schools have eradicated numeracy issues among students.

Dr. Servillon remains optimistic about further progress by the end of the current school year, attributing the positive outcomes to the collaborative efforts between the Department of Education, local government units, the Synergia Foundation, private organizations, and t he commitment of the provincial government under Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. to support the initiative./