The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) has raised concern over a report showing 18 million high school graduates are functionally illiterate.
It urged urgent reforms and broader collaboration to address the country’s worsening education crisis.
COCOPEA echoed “the deep concerns expressed by the public about the country’s education system” following the release of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The survey found that millions of Filipinos who completed high school lack the ability to apply basic literacy skills in daily life.
“As a committed partner of the government in tackling various issues within our education system, COCOPEA reaffirms its unwavering support for the Department of Education amidst this alarming data,” the council said in a statement.
It welcomed the Department of Education’s reform agenda aimed at enhancing literacy and learning recovery at all levels of basic education.
COCOPEA also pointed to its recent senatorial forum held on April 21, 2025, where it emphasized that education must remain a national priority.
“It is COCOPEA’s belief that enhancing functional literacy necessitates more than merely promoting access to education; it also involves ensuring, as a national policy, that quality education thrives within the system,” it added.
The organization said the survey’s findings highlight the complexity of the crisis. “The PSA’s alarming findings serve as a timely reminder that there is no singular solution and approach to address the ongoing learning crisis.”
COCOPEA vowed to continue advocating for accountability and cooperation among all education stakeholders.
It stressed the need for mechanisms that engage not only the government, schools, and teachers but also learners and parents to ensure meaningful improvements in education outcomes.
