The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has renewed its call for colleges and universities to take an active role in addressing functional illiteracy, urging Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to integrate literacy programs into their community extension services.

CHED issued a memorandum that aligns with a whole-of-government approach to improving functional literacy rates and supports the objectives of Republic Act 7165, which established the Literacy Coordinating Council.

According to findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) and the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), nearly 30 percent of Filipinos aged 10 to 64 are functionally illiterate, including 18 percent of college students and seven percent of those with graduate degrees.

The total number of Filipinos struggling with literacy has reached 11.8 million, surpassing the 10.3 million reported in 1991.

CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis highlighted the critical role of HEIs in complementing basic education efforts, particularly in underserved communities.

"True nation-building requires that we lift up the millions of Filipinos who still fall within the 10 percent illiteracy gap," Agrupis said. "We are urging our Higher Education Institutions to go beyond traditional extension work and adopt a scientific, outcomes-based approach to functional literacy," she added. 

To guide HEIs, CHED has introduced the Basic and Functional Literacy Framework, which provides standards for designing, implementing, and evaluating literacy programs.

The framework emphasizes data-driven planning by identifying target groups using current and factual data; science-based pedagogy and andragogy by training students and faculty in effective teaching methods for children and adults; and outcomes-based activities, which measure success through pre- and post-program assessments to track improvements.

CHED also encouraged institutions to utilize the National Service Training Program (NSTP) by incorporating the Literacy Training Service (LTS) into community extension programs.

Research-focused universities are urged to conduct action research, survey local literacy levels, and develop technologies to enhance learning outcomes.

Meanwhile, EDCOM II expressed support for CHED’s appeal to HEIs.

"We have long recognized that the education crisis is too big for any single agency to solve alone," EDCOM II Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee said in a statement issued Friday, February 6.

"This game-changing partnership between CHED and DepEd, mobilizing our colleges and universities, is exactly the kind of 'whole-of-nation' approach we need," he added.

Universities are encouraged to review and update extension programs to align with national literacy goals. CHED, through its Regional Offices and the Office of Student Development and Services (OSDS), will provide monitoring and support to ensure programs achieve measurable results.

This initiative aligns with CHED’s A.C.H.I.E.V.E. Agenda, which aims to provide quality education across all life stages, equipping Filipinos with essential skills in reading, writing, computation, and comprehension.

By integrating functional literacy into higher education extension services, CHED hopes to spark a nationwide movement where every HEI becomes a hub for literacy, lifelong learning, and community development.