Investing in literacy for competitiveness

As the United Nations observes International Literacy Day today, September 8, the world sits up to take notice of an urgent reminder.

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Literacy, which is the ability to read, write, and comprehend, is the gateway to learning, opportunity, and empowerment. For the Philippines, it is also a sobering occasion to confront persistent challenges in basic education that continue to hinder our national competitiveness.

The country has long struggled with a perennial classroom shortage. While the Department of Education, as well as some resource-laden local governments have made strides in building new classrooms, a big gap remains. Budget constraints mean that government resources are stretched thin, leaving public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a crucial lifeline in expanding access to safe, conducive classrooms and learning spaces. Yet, without a coherent long-term program to address infrastructure needs, classroom congestion will persist, eroding the quality of instruction and the overall learning experience of Filipino children.