Philippines Faces 10% Literacy Gap Among Grade 1‑3 Learners; ARAL Funding Uncertain

In the 2025‑2026 school year, the Department of Education’s Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment found that about 519,000 students in Grades 1‑3—roughly 10% of all assessed learners—were classified as struggling readers. Half of all pupils in the first three grades still read below their grade level, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had the highest share, with more than 22% of Grade 3 students at low proficiency. The National Education Plan 2026‑2035 targets 75% of Key Stage 1 learners reading at grade level by 2028. The ARAL Program, which received P8. 9 billion in 2026 to support academic recovery, was not included in the next year’s budget, leaving its continuation to Congress. Meanwhile, the newly formed Bangsamoro Education Coordination Forum will coordinate efforts to raise early‑education outcomes in the region.