Chapter I: Introduction

1.1. Background of the study

Literacy is the ability or skill to read and write. It is one of the way that let us

communicate with each other. Being literate enable us to understand and engage with what is

around us in the world. Reading and writing most often learned or taught at school, this is the

main priority of the school, to teach a child how to read and write. Unfortunately not all students

are interested in schooling, can’t go to school due to poverty, might have disabilities or

bedridden and other conflicts that makes them illiterate or unable to write and read just because

they don’t attend the school. There is some child who can learn writing and reading just by the

teachings of parents at home if they can’t afford the child sustaining for its schooling, but

according to the UNICEF (2022), a parents/caregivers who lacks of education are less likely to

teach or help their children in homework, stating a parent is a factor also in supporting the

education of student.

An article by Harry A. Patrino, Jimmy Graham, and Sean Kelly (2017), clearly stated that

throughout the world there are more over 250 million school children that cannot read. Illiteracy

is to be considered a society-wide problem. Our society on the current world requires a citizen

who is literate for a refine and improving community. The country craves for more workers who

is naturally educated. Illiteracy is therefore a cause of poverty. Based on the article of Concern

Worldwide US (2020), the World Literacy Foundation estimated that global economy costs $1.5

trillion because of Illiteracy. It is inevitable that country with high literacy rate has the possible

chance to escape extreme poverty. Literacy does not only mean that you can read and write but

it’s a lifelong learning, it is part of our education which is the fundamental human right. Not all of

people who experience poverty are those who do not have education, but most them is. On the

article of Olivia Giovetti (2022), states that the best way to get out in poverty is education
because it is strongly linked to economic growth. Between 1960 and 2000, a 2021 study co-

published by Stanford University and Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University shows us that,

75% of the growth in gross domestic product or also known as GDP around the world was

linked to increased math and science skills. The Philippines has the highest literacy rate at

97.95 percent in the article of Ma. Teresa Montemayor (2019), stated by the report of United

Nations’ UN (2016). But despite of this, a lot of Filipino still stagger in being literate. According to

the study of Karen D’Souza (2022) some impoverished school have determined to have high

risks of reading problems for about 60%. Although illiteracy crisis didn’t start on the pandemic it

had made the numeracy of literacy crisis twice the number. Poor readers are more likely to be

drop out of schools, earn less money in the future and more likely to be involve in some

crimes(Karen D’Souza, 2022). One study of M. Yvonne Taylor (2018) explains that illiteracy

crisis is a dangerous one for many reason, primarily because people used to be “deficit and

narrowly” about what literacy literally means. They position those students as illiterate as they

leave the school which is probably not true most of the time. This is just one of the gap about

the illiterate people.

Literacy is a very significant factor for the future of one entity in his country and the

country itself, without it a person cannot get a job and sustain his living. Hence this study

focuses at the school and surveys the literacy rate of junior high students. For that, this research

may able to help authorities in school or the teachers identifying the illiterate or the non-readers

and slow readers. For that, the future of these youth may able to be directed at the right path.

And many opportunities for them are available to enter in the near future.
1.1. Statement of the Problem

This study also focuses on the gaps between the illiterate rate and literate rate students

in the school.

This study addresses the following five question:

1. How many percent is the illiteracy of students in the year of 2022?

2. How many percent is the literacy of students in the year of 2022?

3. Do students have an interest in reading such reading materials?

4. How important is literacy level?

5. Does it mean when you don’t go to school you are illiterate all ready?

1.2. Objectives of the study

The main objectives of the study may be indicated as under:

1. To show accumulated evidences of literacy skills of students.

2. To help authorities identifying students who lack of literacy skills.

3. To be as guidance, as well as to students for enhancing their own learning or to be self-

directed on mastering independent study.

1.3. Significance of the study

The proposed study is essential due to the limited number of research studies conducted

at Sta. Fe National High School and how many junior high school students are improving and

learning to read and write.

 To the students, the result of literacy level of students, specifically to the third and fourth

year high school may acknowledge them consciously that their fellow schoolmates are possibly

literate or illiterate. Also, literacy is a prerequisite or must-have of students for expansive

education. Due to that, this research, to be as of use for acknowledging and confirming states of

students especially in battling of illiteracy, may give a chance to achieve and increase their

productivity inside the school.

To the parents, this research is a very important contribution for them in being aware

what are their children’s performances at school. Although parents’ supports have a factor for

developing the students’ skills, abilities and knowledge, it still depends on the attentiveness of

one student on schooling. Yet parents are obligated for the guidance, nourishing the child in

their education by being sensitive on handling general ways of gaining knowledge i.e.

pursuance of reading materials, exercise in writing, teaching them how to be curious, instructing

to do a research et cetera, although it relies on their teenage and even adult years.

To the teachers, this research may serve them to help their students as parents could do

so. Monitoring students’ literacy is one of the main priority of authorities in sector of education. A

data of literacy rate is worth a pound of cure if so ever the literacy rate is low. Focusing on the

necessitous students can improve better the literacy on a particular school to be specified, at

Sta. Fe National High School (SFNHS) on that the opportunity of every student in their future is

at high rate.

To the community, our economy requires workers who have sustained and earned a

profession, therefore a citizen with higher literacy skills are in demand. The importance of this

research in our community is essential for it is the requirement for the opportunities we seek for

our livings and generally to avoid poverties and unemployment.

1.4. Scope and Delimitation

This research has the main purpose to determine the literacy rate of junior high school

students at Sta. Fe National High School. The respondents are the 410 third year to fourth year

high school students. The study will be conducted at second and third quarter of the school year

2022-2023. The research instrument to be used in the study is a reading material for data

gathering. The reading material is according to the grade level of students. This research to be

conducted is with the assistance of English teachers because the researcher doesn’t have any

background for precise reading material for each grade level.

1.5. Definition of Terms

To comprehend the study better, the following terms are operationally defined:

Aliteracy – Junior high school students who don’t have interest in writing and reading but knows

how to.

Illiteracy – The lack of skills(to read, write, and understand a context) of junior high school

students.

Junior High School – The students whose grade levels are third year and fourth year. And that

is studying at Sta. Fe National High School.

Literacy – The ability of junior high school students to read and write. Also the skills to

understand a comprehensive reading materials.

Literacy rate – The percentage of junior high school who can read and write.
Literacy skills – Ability of junior high school students to read, write, understand, comprehend,

decode, and proofreading a context or printed reading material.

Percent – The number or ratio of literacy of junior high school students expressed as a fraction

of 100.
 Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature

2.1. The Term “Literacy”

In the glossary of UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organizations) literacy is the ability of one individual to understand, identify, create, interpret,

compute, and communicate a printed or written material associated with vary contexts. Literacy

enables everyone in achieving their goals, to gain and develop their knowledge and potential

and lastly to perform well in the wider socioeconomic activities in the community. In other words

literacy skills have all the basic skills. By simply absorbing the things in our daily lives, we must

not have only one literacy skill. For instance if we read and hear all the sound but cannot

understand what we are reading or even aware what we had read, we all ready lack of literacy

skill and cause to that we loss a chance of gaining a knowledge eventually(Austin, 2020).

According to the study of the author, Austin(2020), there are various kind of

literacy rate which are the following; reading, decoding, phonics, grammar and vocabulary,

comprehension, writing, researching, structure and outline, connection and relatively,

punctuation, proofreading, listening, varying sound awareness, communication, attention and

response, speaking, pronunciation, concentration et cetera. All children have the right to have

an education which means he is capable and has the freedom to be literate thus here are some

reasons why literacy is important; to communicate effectively, to score well in school, to stay

aware, to explore and score opportunities, earn and survive, and the last but not the least but to

be a responsible citizen of the country.

2.2. Importance of Literacy

In fully engaging with the workforce, literacy is essential for maintaining and securing the

employment (Shaunna Marie- Kerr,2017). The economic needs citizen to raise its economic

growth. The fundamental for further intellectual growth and social and economic development is

the accumulated achievement of education although it doesn’t necessarily ensure the quality of
education Heimduo(2020). Education background is required for work. Eventually, in order for

you to be hired in your respective desired work or company. According to the article of Shaunna

Marie-Kerr(2017). Higher literacy levels is a defining factor in employability across all sectors,

being conscious that we move toward the knowledge economy. In fact, literacy is not only

important by means of job but as well as to health, gender equality, democracy, peace, and to

overall quality of life as stated in the article of Olivia Giovetti (2020).

In general, one of the way to fight the poverty is education, it is the key to a nourishing and

flourishing country and how its economy flows. It is by the hand of the youth who studies at

school, participate well to conserve the surroundings and those who thinks and plans their

future. It is a man of narrowed thinking if he thinks that is too late for him to serve the country

because it’s not the youth that only helps the country.

2.3. Percent of Illiteracy

In the previous article of Philstar Global (2019), among in the Southeast Asians the

Filipinos ranks as the most literate at the percent of 97.95. But the article itself stated that even

though our literacy rate increases through the year there are still who runs off a numbers in

illiteracy. On the article of Raelene Tang (2020), there were about 21, 724, 454 Filipino

enrollees in the school year 2021-2022, 11% were dropped out of school, 59.2% Filipino youth

aged 15-24 who wants to work abroad, 61.9% were females who were dropped out, 64% of the

graduates lie in the employed of Top 50 colleges, and 65% of the graduated Filipinos were

unemployed due to their choices. Although we ranked the most literate country among

Southeast Asia, we scored the lowest in reading comprehension among 79 countries in 2018 on

the study of Kitty Elicay (2019). Also the study stated that the ratio of teaching staff on students

in disadvantage schools ranks the highest. DepeD, with the participation of PISA(Programme

for International Student Assessment), stating that its their basis for improvement on the
national effectiveness of reforms. Because of this national addressed gaps, the DepeD will

make a national effort for quality basic education by implementing aggressive reforms, which is

the result of K-12 on the current.

2.4. Interest of children in reading materials