We need to ‘catch up’ on reading

This November, the country observes National Reading Month, and it is highlighted by the National Book Week from Nov. 24 to 30. The latter comes from Presidential Proclamation No. 109 signed by President Manuel L. Quezon in 1936, designating Nov. 24 to 30 of each year as National Book Week. At the time the proclamation was signed, the justification for it was that “reading of good books be recognized as a highly patriotic duty as well as privilege.”

Now, 89 years after that proclamation, reading has a more vital and crucial role in our lives, a necessity in this modern times, transcending beyond just being a patriotic duty. But are our people, particularly the youth, really reading? Have they read a book, not because it is required by a class subject, but for the simple reason of wanting to expand their knowledge and experience the joy of reading?

Referring to a 2022 report from the World Bank, it said that the Philippines’ “rate of learning poverty stood at 91 percent,” which means that nine out of 10 10-year-olds are unable to read and understand age-appropriate texts. Though this result just gives a slice of the overall picture, the alarming takeaway from this is the fact that reading is not part of our daily habit. The challenges of the pandemic years have also deepened the learning crisis.

Data from Kepios, a company producing reports on digital trends and online behaviors, has revealed that internet users in the Philippines increased by 10 million between 2022 and 2023. While this points to increased online connectivity and social media usage, the flip side is a potential decline in reading time. The abundance of distractions, such as online games, video content, apps, and streaming services, competes for individuals’ time, impacting the inclination to read.

Fortunately, it is not too late. The Department of Education (DepEd) responds to this learning challenge by announcing during the National Reading Month that it is pushing for a “Catch-Up Friday,” which will allot every Friday of the week as “a time for basic education learners to improve their reading and writing skills.”  This is projected to start in January 2024.

In a DepEd statement, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said this means that “(teachers) will do nothing else but to teach the learners how to read… and those who are good in reading will (be taught) critical thinking and analysis; for those who are good in critical thinking and analysis, let them write a book, essay, and everything that the children need to learn, let’s do it on Catch-up Friday.”

While the DepEd’s “Catch-up Friday” reading and writing initiative is commendable, solving the learning crisis demands a collective effort beyond the education sector. The private sector, in collaboration with the government, can play a pivotal role. Companies can sponsor books for remote schools, employees can volunteer to read in classrooms, publishing houses can make reading materials more accessible, etc.

Addressing this challenge requires a whole-of-nation approach, recognizing that combating reading weakness — and staving off the tide of ignorance — also necessitates the participation of each citizen. If tackling the learning crisis involves all of us opening a book, then let’s open one book at a time, to begin not only to read for one’s enjoyment, but also to encourage others to start a reading habit.

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