The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) would like to clarify the “19 million functionally illiterate high school graduates and junior high school completers” based from the results of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) as published in various print, broadcast, and social media.

The PSA has no report, in any form, stating that the estimated number of functionally illiterate high school graduates and junior high school completers is 19 million.

Based from the 2024 FLEMMS, the 19 million refers to the estimated number of 10 to 64 years old who are basically literate but not functionally literate because of lack of comprehension skill, regardless of highest grade completed. It does not also refer to the “functionally illiterate” high school graduates (old and K to 12 curriculum) and junior high school completers (K to 12 curriculum).

The estimated number of high school graduates, including junior high school completers 10 to 64 years old, who are basically literate but not functionally literate because of lack of comprehension skill is 5.58 million in 2024.

Moreover, the estimated number of not functionally literate high school graduates, including junior high school completers aged 10 to 64 years is 6.45 million in 2024. On the other hand, the number of not functionally literate population 10 to 64 years old, regardless of highest grade completed, is estimated at 24.83 million.

Persons who are not functionally literate include those who are basically literate (can read, write, and compute only), low literate (can read and write only) or illiterate (cannot read and write).  
 

   - Social Sector Statistics Service, Sectoral Statistics Office