Bridgingthe DwindlingReading Proficiency

During the pre-pandemic, illiteracy has been one of the major headachesourgovernmentistryingtocombat.Evenoninternationalbased assessments, many Filipino learners are struggling to meet the bare minimum required. There is no argument; this alarming situation of illiteracy must be addressed seriously.

The global health outbreak brought by the COVID-19 ambushed us of the chance for in-person classes resulting in distance education which was believed to have restrained learning. Hence, the comprehension of many students declined due to the lack of guidance in terms of lessons including basic reading.

Reading is undoubtedly one of the fundamental macro-skills every learner should master. This skill must encompass not just decoding, but also comprehending whatever material students read.

Meanwhile, the World Bank reported that 9 out of 10 Filipino children struggle with reading simple age-appropriate texts. It is estimated that 91 percent of kids in the Philippines are “not proficient in reading” which serves as a wake-up call for the government to intervene.

Now that classes have finally gone back to normal, everyone has the hope of at least narrowing down the reading gap which stalled many skills that could’ve been learned over the years. All avenues to help students be equipped with literacy on reading, writing, and numeracy must be exhausted.

The government tries to remedy the concerns through different schoolbased interventions and recovery plans. Crafting of materials tailor-made from the needs assessment were produced by teachers which underwent quality assurance. Reports flood here and there for proper monitoring and evaluation, yet, saving students from reading deficiency is still hard to accomplish.

Looking at the bigger picture, literacy must always start at home. It’s one of the best solutions to close the reading gap. It is not necessary or required to be an education professional to help your child develop reading skills. Simply, spending time and teaching them is the best way in order for them to enhance their ability to read.

Thinking how little the world could be for students who are unable to read and comprehend is saddening. How hard must it be for them to communicate properly despite illiteracy and analphabetism.

As I see it, eliminating the pressing problem of reading comprehension and proficiency is a bit slow. When this won’t be resolved in due time, it might reflect the kind of system are leaders can only do. To accept or not, this is a big threat in our country – to not be able to invest much for human capital.

What’sOnYourMind?

CONCERNS:

I hope the school canteen can lower the prices of goods. Honestly, even water is expensive. Huhu - @AstroBoy_10

I hope women’s comfort rooms have sanitary pads available for emergency use. We, girls, often have problems looking for it.

- @YourPiscesGirl

I know that sometimes, we unintentionally shame others; it’s not our intention to hurt, but I hope some teachers would be careful of embarrassing some students inside the classroom. Please correct us in a nice way. - @_Butterfly

I was determined during competitions, sadly, we lack good equipments/ gadgets. Sad! - @Oppa_LoverBoy

I really hope we can have a quiet place/study room to stay at during our free time. - @_MimiYeah1508!

Promoting pride and a sense of belongingness – that’s what a school uniform signifies. Wearing a decent and neat uniform gives students the feeling of being part of an organisation. It increases self-esteem and selfconfidence.

Recently in Tibag High School,the administration and the Student-Parents-Teachers Association (SPTA), came up with a resolution to change the entire design of the school uniform due to the following reasons: to heighten security; plus, the color is too light and bright in daytime, it is prone to dirt and thin that it can be seen through.

Tibag High School, being preventive, believes that uniforms can increase students’ safety inside and outside of school. Outsiders may be avoided if its implementation is strictly imposed. In addition, from a learner’s perspective, this increases our ability to focus on our learning without having to worry about our

FEEDBACKS:

OutwiththeOld, InwiththeNew

ROSA MEA B. FERRER Editor-in-Chief

clothing choices. We know that nowadays many students are more fashionable; we care more about our looks and posture. There will be less competition among students because everyone will wear the same clothes and they will have an identity.

I conducted a survey to students,parents, teachers, and personnel regarding the decision – as to whether they agree or disagree. Here are some of the answers based on different perspectives.

STUDENTS: “Our old uniform is a bit bright in color. We’re glad that the school is changing it into a better one.” Aina Isabelle de Castro, a 9th grader told The Fortress. Some even mentioned how it easily gets stained during girls’ monthly period. In addition, many Senior High School students were excited because the new uniform’s skirt is longer compared to the previous which is above the knee, and a bit uncomfortable to wear. As per Joanna, “As a SHS student, it will be a good

All I can say is Tibag High School is the cleanest!! - @Zeb555 experience before leaving the school. Also, I heard it will also be used in graduation, so its cost will be maximized.”

PARENTS: “At first, I was a bit surprised like the other parents. I have two children enrolled in the school; thus, I need to find a way to provide new uniforms for them. But eventually, I was able to buy little by little. It was

My feedback on Tibag High School is that the school policy is good, and the trash is in the right container. - @EmZy Teachers are good, and persevere in teaching us. Even the security guards are very helpful, especially in cleaning the school. Also, accommodating. - @_Mochi!

The rooms are spacious and well-ventilated. We have enough fans inside, so we can study better. - @LiverLoverboy

I appreciate our academic week! So many booths and activities. We had so much fun.

-

@TheSeniorFunGuy

Wecollectthoughts!Speakupandlet’slineitup. Send you feedback and/or concerns @https://www.facebook.com/THSTheFortress

Bullying is one of the most common diseases our society still has not yet remedied. With the left and right reports circulating especially among schools, it seems that many personnel are still incapacitated to combat the undying concern.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2013), 1 in 3 children (27.8%) reported being bullied every school year. This percentage is terrifying because bullying is becoming part of the society’s norm. It is defined as unwanted intimidation and aggression towards peers. These unwanted aggression of bullies towards

ASmallAction, ABigCollision

PRECIOUS LARA CUNANAN Associate Editor-in-Chief

the common one is name calling which is a type of verbal bullying.

Even though bullying commonly occurs in school and in the classroom, it still can appear elsewhere including playgrounds, hallways, and even the internet. In recent times, cyber bullying has increased tremendously because of devices which are now necessities in our generation. This mechanism has to stop as the self esteem of the victims will drop at a rapid speed which may even result to depression.

Bullying is a consistent prevailing issue among youngsters, thus, organizations suggest to maximize its prevention. Schools are the best launching pads to instill a sense of fairness and equality in general. Hence, solutions must be hammered.

Amplify guidance and counselling force, open communication to all stakeholders, capacitate teachers, leaders, and personnel on proper ways to deal with bullying. If old programs are not effective, then reforms must be considered. Make an action and take it seriously.

Are these what adults impose on young minds? To treat injustice, aggressiveness, and oppression as normal? Youngsters mirror what the society depicts. Hence, it is a sad reality that our society produces bullies at a young age without even noticing.

Young people these days have been using social media for too long. According to Pew Research Center, 97% of teens use the internet daily in which Youtube and Tiktok are the leading applications. While there are many advantages one can get using social media, these cannot outweigh the negative effects it can impart. If this continues, things will get worse and many problems will occur because of this addictive habit.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the reports of the lifetime prevalence of any mental disorder among adolescents is 49.5% and 22.2% of adolescents will suffer from a severe mental impairment in their life times all because of the abuse of using social media for too long and barely moving all

BIRD’S EYE-VIEW