DepEd: Data on non-readers 'premature,' inconclusive
Published Feb 18, 2020 12:00 am
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday said the “no read, no write” problem reportedly hounding over 70,000 students in the Bicol region was premature and inconclusive since the data were not yet verified and validated.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
“We should be careful when it comes to interpreting numbers and words because they have meanings,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a press conference on Monday
She said the DepEd continues to gather data to be able to give a more “accurate” information on the status of learning outcomes among learners - particularly in reading and comprehension.
“It’s not a no-read, no-write case,” she stressed.
“Let’s be precise in our words and put the right context when reporting data because in this situation, there are levels of reading literacy and we cannot conclude that these learners do not know how to read,” she added.
DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Nepomuceno Malaluan explained that the report on the number of non-readers was “premature” because the data were “not yet verified and validated.”
“Not to be defensive but there has to be some level of precision because in this case, some regions did not give updates yet,” Malaluan said. “The information must be the correct and precise information so that our analysis is based on correct data,” he added.
Based on the pre-tests administered by the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) between July and August, 2019, it showed that in Bicol Region, there are 71, 470 non-readers in 13 divisions. Of this number, 56,197 are in elementary and 14,289 are in secondary.
“Phil-IRI is an assessment tool of DepEd to determine whether the reading proficiency of a student is appropriate to their grade, it does not mean they do not know how to read,” Briones said.
DepEd clarified that the figures reported as being non-readers in both English and Filipino was “raw data and is still for validation” since it was a local pre-test result of the Phil-IRI usually conducted to determine interventions needed by learners.
Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instructions Diosdado San Antonio explained that the Phil-IRI is “conducted at the beginning of the school year to identify students in Grades 4-6 in English, and Grades 3-6 in Filipino, who need additional intervention in reading.”
Diosdado noted that a Phil-IRI post-test “will still be administered at the end of the school year to complete the analysis of data.” In 2018, for instance, he noted that there were significant improvements in learners’ reading proficiency at the latter part of the school year through a post-test.
Addressing the issue
When asked about the factors that affect reading and comprehension skills of learners, Malaluan noted that there are certain considerations to be noted such as “congested” curriculum and the need for further training for teachers. “These are all being taken into account as we review the K to 12 curriculum,” he added.
While there are Filipino learners who fall below the desired learning outcomes, DepEd assured that it continues to exert efforts to address challenges to the country's basic education.
Earlier, Undersecretary and spokesperson Annalyn Sevilla told the Manila Bulletin that DepEd continues to strengthen its efforts to address challenges in basic education as the agency shifts its focus from access to quality. In particular, DepEd's initiatives are being implemented to address challenges in learning outcomes, particularly in reading.
Sevilla said that the raw data was announced by the DepEd regional division last week. "I have asked for broader data from the region, but they have yet to send," she said. The high number, Sevilla said, is in Grades 1 and 2. For Grade 1, she noted, "many are still really non-readers at the start.”
Phil-IRI, Sevilla explained, is "not single test for grades, but tests distinct at every grade level to assess against reading proficiency expected for the grade level." Thus, it "must be compared with total student population but is not yet readily available."
Sevilla also noted that the Phil-IRI is "situated within the broader campaign" of DepEd to address "challenge of quality with gains in access already."
The DepEd launched the “Bawat Bata Bumabasa” (3Bs) initiative last November, 2019, as part of the larger campaign “Sulong Edukalidad” which aims to raise the quality of basic education in the country.
The 3Bs encouraged offices from central to division level and schools to intensify their advocacies for reading to make every learner a reader at their grade level and capacitate teachers to become effective reading instructors.
Briones has visited top performing public schools nationwide in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to gain additional insights on their best practices in Reading, Math, and Science.
On January 31, Briones visited the Baguio City National High School in Benguet, which earned the distinction of getting one of the best Reading scores in the country. Among the identified best practices by BCNHS were involving parents in the reading activities, providing appropriate reading remediation activities, and maximizing the participation of all students in reading-related activities.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
“We should be careful when it comes to interpreting numbers and words because they have meanings,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a press conference on Monday
She said the DepEd continues to gather data to be able to give a more “accurate” information on the status of learning outcomes among learners - particularly in reading and comprehension.
“It’s not a no-read, no-write case,” she stressed.
“Let’s be precise in our words and put the right context when reporting data because in this situation, there are levels of reading literacy and we cannot conclude that these learners do not know how to read,” she added.
DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Nepomuceno Malaluan explained that the report on the number of non-readers was “premature” because the data were “not yet verified and validated.”
“Not to be defensive but there has to be some level of precision because in this case, some regions did not give updates yet,” Malaluan said. “The information must be the correct and precise information so that our analysis is based on correct data,” he added.
Based on the pre-tests administered by the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) between July and August, 2019, it showed that in Bicol Region, there are 71, 470 non-readers in 13 divisions. Of this number, 56,197 are in elementary and 14,289 are in secondary.
“Phil-IRI is an assessment tool of DepEd to determine whether the reading proficiency of a student is appropriate to their grade, it does not mean they do not know how to read,” Briones said.
DepEd clarified that the figures reported as being non-readers in both English and Filipino was “raw data and is still for validation” since it was a local pre-test result of the Phil-IRI usually conducted to determine interventions needed by learners.
Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instructions Diosdado San Antonio explained that the Phil-IRI is “conducted at the beginning of the school year to identify students in Grades 4-6 in English, and Grades 3-6 in Filipino, who need additional intervention in reading.”
Diosdado noted that a Phil-IRI post-test “will still be administered at the end of the school year to complete the analysis of data.” In 2018, for instance, he noted that there were significant improvements in learners’ reading proficiency at the latter part of the school year through a post-test.
Addressing the issue
When asked about the factors that affect reading and comprehension skills of learners, Malaluan noted that there are certain considerations to be noted such as “congested” curriculum and the need for further training for teachers. “These are all being taken into account as we review the K to 12 curriculum,” he added.
While there are Filipino learners who fall below the desired learning outcomes, DepEd assured that it continues to exert efforts to address challenges to the country's basic education.
Earlier, Undersecretary and spokesperson Annalyn Sevilla told the Manila Bulletin that DepEd continues to strengthen its efforts to address challenges in basic education as the agency shifts its focus from access to quality. In particular, DepEd's initiatives are being implemented to address challenges in learning outcomes, particularly in reading.
Sevilla said that the raw data was announced by the DepEd regional division last week. "I have asked for broader data from the region, but they have yet to send," she said. The high number, Sevilla said, is in Grades 1 and 2. For Grade 1, she noted, "many are still really non-readers at the start.”
Phil-IRI, Sevilla explained, is "not single test for grades, but tests distinct at every grade level to assess against reading proficiency expected for the grade level." Thus, it "must be compared with total student population but is not yet readily available."
Sevilla also noted that the Phil-IRI is "situated within the broader campaign" of DepEd to address "challenge of quality with gains in access already."
The DepEd launched the “Bawat Bata Bumabasa” (3Bs) initiative last November, 2019, as part of the larger campaign “Sulong Edukalidad” which aims to raise the quality of basic education in the country.
The 3Bs encouraged offices from central to division level and schools to intensify their advocacies for reading to make every learner a reader at their grade level and capacitate teachers to become effective reading instructors.
Briones has visited top performing public schools nationwide in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to gain additional insights on their best practices in Reading, Math, and Science.
On January 31, Briones visited the Baguio City National High School in Benguet, which earned the distinction of getting one of the best Reading scores in the country. Among the identified best practices by BCNHS were involving parents in the reading activities, providing appropriate reading remediation activities, and maximizing the participation of all students in reading-related activities.