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LCC launches Literasi para sa Kaunlaran radio program
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The Literacy Coordinating Council recently launched its “Literasi para sa Kaunlaran” radio program over DXIM Radyo ng Bayan in Cagayan de Oro City with Region X PIA Director Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob as host. Now on its third cycle, the radio program aims to promote the thrust and programs of LCC and to intensify advocacy and social mobilization in promoting literacy endeavors in areas of the country with lowest literacy rate.
DepEd Undersecretary and LCC chairperson Rizalino D. Rivera led the launching of the radio program aired live over DXIM Radyo ng Bayan and witnessed by Atty. Carol Orias-de Ocampo, chief of staff of the office of Usec. Rivera; Dr. Norma L. Salcedo, head of the LCC Secretariat; Ms. Liza Cuisia from the Philippine Information Agency central office; officials of the Department of Education Region X; the Philippine Information Agency Region X team; representatives of the National Economic and Development Authority; Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental; Municipal Government of Salay; DXIM station manager Ditas Gualberto; and officials/representatives of barangays with the lowest literacy rate in the 5th and 6th class municipalities of the country.
With the Philippine Information Agency as project implementor, the Literasi para sa Kaunlaran radio program hopes to promote the policy thrusts, directions, and programs initiated by the Literacy Coordinating Council and underscore the importance of functional literacy in the empowerment of people and in poverty and hunger mitigation efforts. More importantly, the program seeks to serve as an instrument of functional literacy.
Through the radio program, LCC hopes to convince parent listeners on the importance of sending their children to school, formal or nonformal; and to encourage out of school youth and indigenous people to avail of nonformal school placements and assessment programs.
The once a week radio segment aired live over DXIM Radyo ng Bayan in Cagayan de Oro City every Thursday, 2:00-3:00 p.m. starting October 14, 2010 will run on air for a period of six months. The regular episodes will be hosted by Director Cabahug-Aguhob.
Delayed telecasts will be shown on PARASAT cable TV 29 in Cagayan de Oro City every Saturday at 5:30-7:30 p.m. and in other cable stations in the five provinces of Northern Mindanao: Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental including Marawi City.
Forum on the literacy situation of Filipinos
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The Literacy Coordinating Council will hold a Dissemination Forum on the “State of Functional Literacy of Filipinos: Results of the 2008 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey” on March 2, 2011; 9:00 a.m. at the Pearl Hall of SEAMEO INNOTECH, Quezon City. The forum aims to inform education stakeholders on the literacy situation of Filipinos based on the results of the survey.
Conducted every five years by the National Statistics Office, the Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) is a national survey that gathers information on the basic and functional literacy status of the population; their educational skills; qualifications; and exposure to mass media.
The results of the 2008 FLEMMS spell out literacy achievement that will help provide a clear picture of the scope of the country’s illiteracy problem, which is the focus of the forum. The forum will provide a platform for consolidating actions based on the results; determine the policy and program implications of the results; and recommend possible courses of action to improve the literacy situation of the country.
The three previous rounds were conducted in 1989, 1994 and 2003.
The participants of the forum are national government agencies; non-government agencies; local government units; leagues of provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays; state colleges and universities; private organizations; and civil societies.
LCC Holds 2010 National Literacy Conference and Awards
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The Literacy Coordinating Council recently held its National Literacy Conference and Awards in Baguio Teachers Camp in Baguio City, September 8-11, 2010. The Conference and Awards, with the theme “Community Development: A Shared Responsibility to Society through Functional Literacy,” was participated in by local government units officials, DepEd Alternative Learning System officials and teachers, non-government organizations representatives, Council representatives and technical advisory and working groups, and literacy stakeholders and advocates from all over the Philippines. Around 615 registered participants filled Benitez Hall of the Camp, excluding the LCC Secretariat and working committees and National Literacy Awards Winners.(participants)Honored guests and speakers to the Conference included DepEd Undersecretary Rizalino Rivera who gave the opening remarks, and SEAMEO INNOTECH director Ramon C. Bacani, among others.
There were two plenary sessions and a panel discussion with topics International Conference on Adult Education VI: The Belem Framework of Action, The Role of Radio in Reaching Out to Communities towards Literacy and Development, and Social Responsibility for Community Development, respectively. Aside from the talks shared by the speakers, two more highlights of the Conference were the launching of the LCC theme song titled “Functional Literacy, My Right and My Duty,” composed and arranged by Lourdes R. Quisumbing, Ph.D., president of the UNESCO Asia Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education Phil. and former Secretary of the Department of Education; and the awarding of winners to the National Literacy Awards Outstanding Local Government Units and Literacy Programs, and special recognition to literacy programs and implementers. (2010 NLA winners)
Undersecretary Rivera delivered the closing message, reiterating that through partnership and by helping one another, we can achieve our goal of a literate citizenry.
Powerpoint presentations of the speakers:
- CONFINTEA VI: The Belem Framework of Action
- The Role of Radio in Reaching Out to Communities towards Literacy and Development
1. Why Advocacy on Functional Literacy
2. An Advocacy Radio Program on Functional Literacy
- Social Responsibility for Community Development
- Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA)
- Enabling Communities Through Functional Literacy
2003 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey
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The 2003 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) is a national survey that gathers information on basic and functional literacy status of the population, their educational and skills qualifications, and exposure to mass media. The survey covered 25,697 households and 75,558 persons aged 10 to 64 years.
The 2003 FLEMMS is the third in a series of functional literacy surveys conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO). The first two rounds were taken in 1989 and 1994, also by the NSO, which is mandated to conduct the survey every five years. The Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) and the Department of Education (DepEd) provided assistance in the design and development of the questionnaires used in the 2003 survey. The results of the 2008 FLEMMS is now being processed and is set to be released during the 1st quarter of 2010.
- A Primer on Analysis of the 2003 FLEMMS
Results of 2003 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) 10-64 Years Old by Sex, by Region, Philippines
Basic Literacy Rate – 93.4% or 57,904,712
- Male Basic Literacy Rate – 92.6% or 28,724,520
- Female Basic Literacy Rate – 94.3% or 29,180,192
Basic Illiteracy Rate – 6.6% or 4,059,288
- Male Basic Illiteracy Rate – 7.4% or 2,295,480
- Female Basic Illiteracy Rate – 5.7% or 1,763,808
Functional Literacy Rate – 84.1% or 48,424,776
- Male Functional Literacy Rate – 81.9% or 23,707,593
- Female Functional Literacy Rate – 86.3% or 24,717,183
Functional Illiteracy Rate – 15.9% or 9,163,224
- Male Functional Illiteracy Rate – 18.1% or 5,239,407
- Female Functional Illiteracy Rate – 13.7% or 3,923,817
What is Education for All?
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Philippine Education for All (EFA) 2015 is a vision and holistic program of reforms that aim to improve access and quality of basic education for every Filipino by 2015. Providing education to all Filipinos opened alternative learning system to complement formal schooling to reach and better serve those in difficult circumstances.
This entails not only the Department of Education but the involvement of the entire society, including national and local government agencies and civil society organizations as providers of basic learning needs.
EFA 2015 Objectives
To provide basic competencies to everyone to achieve functional literacy for all, Philippine EFA 2015 aims to make:
- All youth and adults functionally literate
- Children 3-5 year-olds ready to participate in schools to eliminate dropout and repetition in Grades 1 to 3
- All pupils and students complete basic education with satisfactory achievement level
- Education be made a societal responsibility
Critical and Urgent EFA Tasks
To attain the above goals, nine urgent and critical tasks were formulated as follows:
- Make every school continuously perform better
- Expand Early Childhood Care and Development
- Transform nonformal and informal interventions into an alternative learning system yielding more EFA benefits
- Promote practice of high quality teaching
- Adopt a 12-year program for formal basic education
- Enrich education curriculum in the context of articulation, enrich the pillars of new functional literacy
- Provide adequate and stable public funding for countrywide attainment of EFA goals
- Create a network of community-based groups for attainment of local EFA goals
- Monitor progress in efforts towards attainment of EFA goals
Literacy Mapping of 5th and 6th Class Municipalities: Policy Implications to Local Government Units
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In May 2003, the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) commissioned the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to undertake a literacy mapping study on 5th and 6th class municipalities and their local government units. Due to financial constraint, the study was conducted from 2005 to 2006.
The DILG study 1) measured the basic and functional literacy levels of 20.20% (82) of the 406 5th class municipalities and 16.67% (7) 42 of the 6th class municipalities; 2) determined the literacy policies in these municipalities and the extent to which literacy concerns have been incorporated in municipal development plans, programs and projects; 3) described the scope of literacy practice in program/project participation in the same municipalities; and 4) specified possible policy directions in the decentralization of literacy programs and projects.
The survey method was used and the unit of analysis was the household. The respondents were 41,861 household heads and their representatives who were randomly chosen using the Table of Random Numbers. Five survey forms were used to collect data, including the two forms which the national Statistics Office (NSO) used in its 2003 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS).
Among the findings were:
- The identification of Barangays Matampa, Alipuaton and Banal in the Municipality of Salay, Province of Misamis Oriental as the tail-ends among the Bottom 30 barangays (that is, with the lowest literacy rates)
- Of the 89 surveyed municipalities, (82, 5th class; 7, 6th class), only Daguioman and Tayum in Abra; Sadanga in Mountain Province; Mahatao in Batangas; and BAto in Catanduanes had LGU resolutions from 2003 to 2004 which allotted a literacy-related budget. Only 32% of the 89 municipalities had literacy projects in their development plans.
- The LGU’s common reasons for not initiating literacy projects were:
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These were among the study’s recommendations:
- Congress should pass a law mandating municipal governments and other LGUs to set aside some percentage of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for literacy projects.
- Within the framework of the Social Reform Agenda, beneficiary participation in the planning and implementation of literacy programs and projects should be made a policy and the DILG should lead the LCC member agencies in advocating this policy among LGUs.
- Barangays with the lowest basic or functional literacy rates should be top priority in the delivery of LGU literacy services. As a policy decision, literacy programs and/or projects should be included in the annual municipal development plans.
Why Literacy is important?
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Can you read this? Can you count how many letters are there in the first question? Can you write down your answer? If you can, good for you! You have what it would take to live a good life, and contribute to the wealth of the nation.
Literacy: a matter of life and death Literacy is life, as it is the set of skills necessary for existence and development.
Living and earningMarina’s illiterate parents used to live a hand-to-mouth existence, roaming the mountains and often being mistreated by lowlanders. Determined to change their fate, Marina decided to learn. With the competencies she posses, she started to earn a living that affords to give her family a decent life.
Developing potentialsFourteen year-old Maricel just learned to write her name at the community learning center in far-flung sitio in Digos City. Now that she knows how to write her name and things about health and nutrition, she has made one step closer to becoming a nurse. Making informed decisions
Indigenous people of Mindoro lamented that when they were still illiterate, they used to be quiet and aloof people. But after being provided literacy, they were empowered to organize themselves, make critical decisions on matters that affect their lives and participate in the democratic process such as election.
Illiterate mothers of a remote barangay in Cotabato used spend their day gambling, gossiping and nagging their husbands. Then an NGO that brought literacy transformed them into responsible mothers and wives, earning family members and valued part of the community.
Averting deathOn the other side of possessing these range of skills and competencies that lead to quality life for individual and society, is the dark side of illiteracy.
Illiteracy is death…literally, as in the father who accidentally poisoned his child because he could not read label that said toxic; or figuratively, as in throwing a good life away as a housemaid committed a crime out of ignorance thereby spending the better years of her life in prison.
Those were just newsworthy incidents involving illiteracy. Unfortunately, illiteracy is not just a form of bad luck befalling people randomly, it is a reality for 4 million Filipinos who cannot read and write. Tsk, tragic cases of illiteracy might just be a common occurrence, and tragedies could multiply by 4 million!
Literacy is the key towards a good life…and against meaningless and tragic death. Good for those who knows this truth… and better for those who act on this knowledge and multiply the values of literacy in theirs and others’ lives.
Understanding the Vital Years for Future Learning
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“We all need to work together to unlock the powers of the vital years from 0 to 6. Waiting for our young children to come to school for Grade One at the age of six may be too late!” These were the words of Secretary Teresa Aquino-Oreta, chair of the Philippines Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council during a policy forum involving education ministers of Southeast Asia late in January this year.
The forum, dubbed “Understanding the Vital Years for Future Learning,” served as an eye-opener in the ever growing need to strengthen policies concerning early childhood education. Conducted during the 45th SEAMEO Council Conference in Cebu, Philippines, the forum zeroed in on the importance of tapping the learning potentials of children in their early years. Likewise, it sought to get commitments from education officials to put premium on their ECCD programs, which receive less than 10% of budget allocation in many countries as studies revealed.
Among those present during the forum were Ministers of Education of SEAMEO member countries, as well as education officials and representatives from SEAMEO associate member countries Australia, Spain, and New Zealand.
Secretary Aquino-Oreta, in her paper, recounted the Philippines’ experiences in adopting ECCD as a national priority. She said the country had a “long journey” towards this direction as efforts to promote children’s welfare and enhance their opportunities began as early as 1974 with the passage of the Child and Youth Welfare Code. The Code led to the creation of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) whose mandate was later transferred to the Department of Social Welfare.
In 2009, the CWC was transformed into the Early Childhood Care and Development Council through Executive Order No. 778. The ECCD Council is now mandated to “support the implementation of the full range of health, nutrition, early education, and social services programs that provide for the basic holistic needs of young children from birth to age six and to promote their optimum growth and development.”
In the past decades, many ECCD laws and executive orders were promulgated. However, implementing such laws became a challenge; and this was mainly due to lack of available information, if not for the often inaccurate, dated, and limited data that offer little value. The ECCD Council immediately worked on creating a database that will serve as guide for a more efficient and effective implementation of the national policies on ECCD. Aside from this, the Council is also working with ECCD professionals and experts to design a learning framework for early education programs.
The stories shared by Secretary Aquino-Oreta and best practices presented by Dr. Claire McLachan, Associate Professor of Early Years Education in Massey University, New Zealand, served as springboards for discussion on the topic.
The Education Ministers agreed to pursue several courses of action, including the conduct of a regional policy research on ECCD. The Philippine Department of Education, as a proponent of the discussion, committed an initial funding of US$50,000 for the said project.
Source: SEAMEO INNOTECH, January 2010Literacy at work at SIL
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Literacy continues to be a part of the work of the Summer Institute of Linguistics internationally and in the Philippines. SIL is pleased to be involved in literacy activities which touch the lives of adults, young people and children. Although the Philippines has a basic literacy rate of more than 88.5%, pockets of illiteracy remain. According to the Department of Education, there are more than one million pre-literates in the country and more than six million people are deemed to be functionally illiterate. Many of these are found among the indigenous cultural communities where SIL works in association with the Philippines Department of Education
The languages spoken by a number of these communities have had no written tradition. Initial work involves linguistic research which leads to the development of an appropriate orthography for the language – an alphabet which is easily read and affords the student opportunity to use the skills they have learned in reading in the vernacular to transition to reading in other Philippine languages. SIL endeavors to serve these communities through literacy education – tailoring such education to the felt needs of the people using a learner centered, bottom-up approach. Our desire is that, beginning from initial literacy, the learner will develop a desire to maintain their reading and writing skills and that these will provide the basis for continuing education, benefiting the individual, the community in which he lives, and his nation. Learning is a lifelong process and some of the basic tools are reading, writing, and numeracy.
- MALEI (Matigsalug Literacy Education Incorporated) oversees the on-going development of literacy and education among the Matigsalug Manobo of Davao del Norte and Bukidnon. SIL members helped facilitate the formation of this people’s organization. MALEI aims to include community education as part of their on-going programs for out-of-school youth and adults. Typically, this would include sessions on topics such as budgeting, leadership training and agricultural matters.
- Under the umbrella of OMALRACDI (Obo Manobo Active Language Resource and Community Development Inc.), various activities take place in partnership with SIL. These include the promotion of literacy through equipping Manobos to become literacy teachers and supervisors. To date, more than eight Literacy Teacher Institutes have been held in Manobo communities, taught by Manobos. OMALRACDI also facilitates health care education programs through primary health care classes taught by a Manobo midwife.
- Among the Tagakaulo Kalagan speakers of Sarangani Province and Davao del Sur in association with the Department of Education Bureaus of Elementary Education and Alternative Learning Systems. Beginning in the barangay of Lutay, an area which formerly has had neither formal school for children nor non-formal classes for adults, a program for children has begun where basic reading and writing lesson materials are constructed first in the mother tongue of the students, bridging into Filipino and English. SIL members are very active in this area and the program is spreading to a number of Tagakaulo speaking areas.
Source: SIL Philippines