Most Filipino elementary students continue to struggle with basic reading skills, with no significant improvement recorded over the past five years, according to results of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics 2024.
The regional assessment showed that the Philippines’ average reading score in 2024 was statistically unchanged from 2019, indicating that about seven in 10 learners remain below the level needed to understand simple texts.
The SEA-PLM data found that more than half of Filipino students failed to reach the minimum reading proficiency. While some gains were recorded, these were concentrated among higher-performing learners, pointing to widening learning gaps within the system.
In contrast, mathematics performance improved significantly, with more students reaching minimum and advanced proficiency levels in 2024 compared with five years earlier.
The report flagged persistent inequality as a major factor affecting learning outcomes, citing poverty, language barriers, and lack of access to learning materials. It also noted a growing performance gap between students from poor households and those from wealthier families.
A previous SEA-PLM assessment in 2019 showed that only 10% of Filipino Grade 5 students met the expected reading proficiency level by the end of primary education, underscoring long-standing challenges in foundational literacy.
The findings add to concerns raised by educators and policymakers on the need to strengthen early-grade reading interventions, particularly in disadvantaged and geographically isolated areas of the country.
