The Lens: The Philippines faces an educational crisis as literacy rates decline

South China Morning Post

01-06-2025

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Thoughts from last week
Ellisha Yao, 17, German Swiss International School
Ellisha Yao attends German Swiss International School. Photo: Handout
The Philippines is facing an educational crisis marked by declining literacy rates and limited access to education. This functional illiteracy perpetuates structural poverty and inflicts long-term socio-economic damage.
Individuals with low literacy skills often struggle with reading, writing and comprehension, which creates challenges in meeting workplace demands. As a result, they become confined to low-skilled jobs, lacking opportunities for career advancement.
When they become parents, economic necessity often drives them to prioritise immediate household income, leading them to withdraw their children from school to take on jobs such as manual labour. This creates a cycle of intergenerational poverty that stifles economic growth.
Gender and rural-urban disparities exacerbate the issue: girls are disproportionately afforded fewer educational opportunities in favour of male 'breadwinners,' while rural areas suffer from reduced productivity and investment.
Inadequate literacy impedes informed decision-making in various aspects of life. Political participation is hindered as individuals struggle to understand their civil rights. Families also lack access to vital information concerning hygiene and nutrition, making them more susceptible to disease outbreaks.
The Philippines must implement educational reforms, including improvements to the curriculum that emphasise critical thinking and essential skills. Resources should be tailored to support marginalised and rural citizens, with scholarships and subsidies for the most disadvantaged.
Expanding access to technical and vocational education and aligning skills training with labour market demands will enhance the employability of these individuals.
Read up on this issue in last week's The Lens
Read and observe
Donald Trump ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with a video alleging a 'genocide' against white South African farmers. Photo: AP
US President Donald Trump ambushed his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, by playing him a video that he claimed proved genocide was being committed against white people.
The extraordinary stunt turned the usually sober diplomatic setting of the Oval Office into a stage for Trump's view that white South African farmers are being forced off their land and killed.
'You do allow them to take land, and then when they take the land, they kill the white farmer, and when they kill the white farmer, nothing happens to them,' Trump said.
Trump also showed news clippings that he alleged supported his claims – although one featured a photo from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Last month, Trump's administration granted refugee status to more than 50 white Afrikaners, even though it has effectively stopped taking asylum seekers from the rest of the world.
Ramaphosa denied that his country confiscates land from white farmers under a land expropriation law signed in January that aims to redress the historical inequalities of apartheid rule. He also insisted that most victims of South Africa's notoriously high crime rate are black.
The visit by the South African leader had been billed as a chance to repair relations following unfounded genocide claims by Trump and his billionaire, South African-born ally, Elon Musk.
'We are essentially here to reset the relationship between the United States and South Africa,' Ramaphosa said. But Ramaphosa was left repeatedly trying to speak as the video played, even as Trump drowned him out.
The South African leader later attempted to put a brave face on the meeting, stating it was a 'great success' and that he still expected Trump to attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November.
He also said he did not think Trump fully believes there's a genocide against whites despite the video. 'In the end, I mean, I do believe that there is this doubt and disbelief in his head about all this,' Ramaphosa told reporters.
Staff writers
Read and observe
What are your thoughts on Trump's claims? How do you view Ramaphosa's response?
What implications do Trump's accusations have for the relationship between the US and South Africa?