About the Survey
Results of the 2003 Functional Literacy, Education
and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) released by the National
Statistics Office (NSO) showed that in 2003, functional
literacy rate inched up to 84.1 percent from 83.8
percent in 1994. Females registered higher functional
literacy rate (86.3 percent) than males (81.9 percent).
“Functionally literate persons”, as measured
in the FLEMMS, are those persons between 10 to 64
years old who can at least read, write and compute.
This is different from the “basically literate
persons” who are defined as those able to at
least read and write, but not necessarily able to
compute.
Objectives
The FLEMMS is a nationwide survey with the
following objectives: (a) to respond to the government’s
thrust on eradicating illiteracy, (b) to obtain
data as basis of education policies and programs,
and (c) to estimate the proportion of the population
who are basically and functionally literate and
exposed to mass media.
Literacy rate is one of the designated statistics
under Executive Order No. 352, which designates
statistics and statistical activities that will
generate critical data for decision making of
the government and the private sector. The FLEMMS,
which is conducted every 5 years, is the designated
source of data on functional literacy rate.
Response Rate
Out of the 23,196 sample households which were
eligible for interview in the 2003 FLEMMS, 22,098
were successfully interviewed households resulting
in a response rate of more than 95 percent.
FIGURE 1.
FLEMMS Household Respondents,
Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Of the 75,558 eligible respondents
(10 to 64 years old) for FLEMMS Form 2, 66,549
answered the questionnaire for individual respondents,
resulting in a response rate of 88 percent.
FIGURE 2.
FLEMMS Individual Respondents 10 to 64 years old,
Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
2003 FLEMMS
Highlights
In 2003, one in every 10 of the estimated 69.1
million population 6 years old and over did not
finish a formal education. Approximately, three
in 10 reached at most elementary level, while
one in 10 had completed elementary education and
did not proceed to high school. Sixteen percent
had reached but did not finish high school level
while another 16 percent had finished at most
secondary education. Eight percent had reached
but did not finish college and another eight percent
actually finished college or pursued postgraduate
studies.
In Region XII, 15.3% of the estimated
2.953 million population 6 years old and over
did not finish a formal education. Approximately,
three in 10 reached at most elementary level,
while one in 10 had completed elementary education
and id not proceed to high school. Eighteen percent
had reached but did not finish high school level
while another 13% had finished at most secondary
education. Seven percent had reached but did not
finish college and another six percent actually
finished college or pursued postgraduate studies.
FIGURE 3.
Percent distribution of population 6 years
old and over by highest educational attainment,
Philippines and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
In terms of proportion with college
education, NCR posted the highest proportion (39
percent), followed by CAR (28.0 percent) and Region
VII (23 percent). Lowest proportion was noted
in MIMAROPA (13 percent) and in ARMM (15 percent).
Twenty percent of the population 24 years old
& over had at most reached or graduated from
college in Region XII.
FIGURE 4.
Percentage of population 24 years old
and over who had at most reached
or graduated from college, by region, Philippines
2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Results of the 2003 FLEMMS show
that two-thirds of the estimated 34 million population
6 to 24 years old were attending school during
the school year covering June 2003 to March or
April 2004, or semester covering November 2003
to March or April 2004. In Western Visayas (Region
VI), Bicol (Region V), CAR, Cagayan Valley (Region
II), and MIMAROPA, approximately seven out of
10 children and youth were enrolled during the
cited school year or semester. In ARMM, only about
5 in every 10 children and youth were enrolled.
About 6 in every 10 children and youth were enrolled
on Region XII.
FIGURE 5.
Percentage of population 6 to 24 years
old who are attending
school, by region, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
In the same reference school year,
the net enrolment ratio for the primary school
age children or ratio of the number of children
6 to 11 years old who were enrolled in elementary
grades to the total number of children in this
age group was around 83 percent. The net enrolment
ratios for the population in the secondary school
and those in the tertiary school were much lower.
Approximately six out of 10 persons of secondary
schools ages, or persons aged 12 to 15 years,
were enrolled in high school. Only one-fifth of
those in the tertiary school ages, or persons
aged 16-242 years, were attending college.
The net enrolment ratio for primary school in
Region XII was about 78 percent. Only about fifty-five
percent of the children aged 12 to 15 years old
were enrolled in high school in the aforementioned
region. Furthermore, the net enrolment ratio among
persons aged 16-24 was only 11 percent. This is
lower than the persons in the primary and secondary
school age.
FIGURE 6.
Net enrollment ratio by age group, Philippines
and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Cagayan Valley topped the regions
in terms of net enrolment ratio for primary school
age children at 90 percent. It was followed by
CAR (87.2%) and CALABARZON (86.5%). ARMM posted
the lowest net enrolment ratio with 65 percent
only. SOCCSKSARGEN posted a primary net enrollment
ratio of 78 percent.
The highest net enrolment ratio for the secondary
school age population was recorded in the NCR
(68.4%) while the lowest was in ARMM (33.1%).
In Region XII, the secondary net enrollment ratio
was 55percent.
The highest net enrolment ratio for the secondary
school age population was recorded in the NCR
(68.4%) while the lowest was in ARMM (33.1%).
In Region XII, the secondary net enrollment ratio
was 55percent.
FIGURE 7.
Primary net enrollment ratio by region,
Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
FIGURE 8. Secondary
net enrollment ratio by region, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
FIGURE 9. Tertiary
net enrollment ratio by region, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Survey results about the children’s
mode of travel to school showed that more than
half of the students aged 6 to 24 years go to
school by walking (54.5%). Almost two out of ten
students aged 6 – 24 either take a tricycle
or motorcycle. In Region XII, six out of 10 students
aged 6 – 24 go to school by walking. Twenty-six
percent take either a tricycle or motorcycle and
nine percent take jeepney in going to school.
FIGURE 10.
Percent distribution of population 6 to
24 years old who are currently attending
school, by mode of travel in going to school,
Philippines and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
The 2003 FLEMMS results also show
that around 11.6 million or 34 percent of the
34 million population 6 to 24 years old were not
attending school. When asked about the main reason
why their children were not attending school,
30 percent of the survey respondents said that
their children were either working or looking
for work, 22 percent mentioned that their children
lack interest ingoing to school, and 2 percent
stated that they cannot afford the high cost of
education.
In Region XII, high cost of education (26.3%)
was the top reason why they cannot send their
children at school. The second reason was that
their children were either working or looking
for work at 22 percent. And the third prevalent
reason was the lack of personal interest of their
children in going to school.
FIGURE 11.
Percent distribution of population 6 to
24 years old by reason
for not attending school, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Basic or Simple
Literacy
Basic literacy status of individual was determined
based on the respondent’s answer to the question
“Can _____ read and
write a simple message in any language or dialect?”
According to the results of the 2003 FLEMMS, about
nine of 10 of the population 10 years old and
over can read and read or basically literate.
Basic literacy rate among females is 94 percent
as compared with 93 percent among males. Region XII showed a basic literacy rate of 87.3 percent.
Basic literacy rate among females were higher
than male in SOCCSKSARGEN.
FIGURE 12.
Basic literacy rate of population 10 years
old and over,
by sex, Philippines and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Among regions, NCR has the highest
basic literacy rate with 99 percent. It is followed
by Ilocos (region 1) and CALABARZON (Region IVA)
with around 97 percent each. ARMM has the lowest
rate with seven out of 10 persons aged 10 years
old and over were considered as basically literate.
FIGURE 13.
Basic literacy rate of population 10 years
old and over
by region, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Functional
Literacy
In the 2003 FLEMS, a self-administered functional
literacy questionnaire was accomplished by persons
10 to 64 years old in order to determine their
literacy status. A person is considered as functionally
literate if he/she can read, write and compute
or if he/she can read, compute and comprehend.
Persons who graduated from high school or completed
a higher level of education were automatically
considered functionally literate in the tabulations.
Functional literacy status was base on the respondent’s
answer to the following items/questions:
(1) Full Name
(2) Address
(3) Complete Date
of Birth
(4) Highest Educational
Attainment
(5) If a kilo of rice
costs P22.00 how much will two kilos cost?
(6) If a kilo of sugar
costs P30.00 how much will a half kilo cost?
(7) Read the following
paragraph:
"The depletion
of our forest is one of the most serious environmental
problems of the
Philippines. It causes
frequent floods and loss of fertile soil. Crops
and property are
destroyed and many
lives are lost because of frequent floods."
Based on the
paragraph you read, what
are the effects of forest depletion?
The 2003 FLEMMS
revealed a functional literacy rate of 84 percent.
Females have higher functional literacy rate than
males. Of the estimated
58 million Filipinos 10 to 64 years old, around
49 million are functionally literate. The functional
literacy rate among females are higher than among
males (86.3% vs. 81.9%). Only 77 percent of the
population 10 to 64 years old were functionally
literate in Region XII. Almost 80 percent of females
were functionally literate than males which only
recorded 74 percent.
FIGURE 14.
Functional literacy rate of population
10 to 64 years old,
Philippines and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Among regions, NCR ranked first
in terms of functional literacy rate (94.6 percent),
followed by CALABARZON (90.4 percent) and Region
I (88.6 percent). ARMM also had the lowest literacy
rate (62.9 percent).
FIGURE 15.
Functional literacy rate of population
10 to 64 years old,
by region, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Functional literacy rate of the
population increases with an increasing level
of education. Nine out of 10 persons who had reached
high school level but did not complete it are
functionally literate. By comparison, eight out
of 10 elementary graduates are functionally literate
while around six in 10 persons with some elementary
education are functionally literate. Only around
two percent among those with no formal education
are functionally literate.
Eighty-eight percent of those who have reached
high school but did not complete it are functionally
literate in Region XII. By comparison, eight out
of ten elementary graduates are functionally literate
while around six in 10 persons with some elementary
education are functionally literate. Only one
in ten of those with no formal education are functionally
literate.
FIGURE 16.
Functional literacy rate of population
10 to 64 years old,
by highest educational attainment, Philippines
and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
With respect to age, age group 20-24
has the highest functional literacy rate followed
by the age group 15-19 and 25-29. The age group
60-64 has the lowest. Age group 20-24 has the
highest functional literacy rate in Region XII.
This was closely followed by the age group 15-19
and 25-29. The age group 60-64 has the lowest.
FIGURE 17.
Functional literacy rate of population
10 to 64 years old,
by age group, Philippines and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
In the 2003 FLEMMS, ownership of
household amenities and conveniences were used
as a substitute for income in order to determine
their economic status of the household and classify
them into either poor or non-poor. Results show
that seven out of 10 of the population aged 10-64
years who are poor are functionally literate as
compared to nine out of 10 of the non-poor. SOCCSKASARGEN
region revealed that six out of 10 of the population
aged 10-64 years who are poor are functionally
literate. Eighty-seven percent of non-poor persons
are functionally literate in the said region.
FIGURE 18.
Functional literacy rate of population
10 to 64 years old,
by socio-economic status, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
One question in the self-administered
questionnaire asked the respondent to choose which
among the different forms of mass media can give
him or her knowledge and information. Among the
12 different forms of mass media, TV (61.8%),
radio (56.7%) and newspaper (46.5%) were selected
by most of the respondents.
FIGURE 19.
Percentage of population 10 to 64 years
old, according to
mass media reported as providing knowledge and
information, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Another question in the survey asked
the respondents whether a household member 15
years old and over had attended any livelihood
adult literacy program or non-formal training.
Livelihood adult literacy program or non-formal
trainings include; basic literacy, functional
literacy, livelihood training, basic vocational
training, citizenship training, values development,
and leadership training.
Only one-fifth (9.7 million or 19.0%) of the 51.1
million population 15 years old and over had attended
non-formal training. Most of those who had attended
a training are aged 50-59 years old which amounted
to 29 percent. Also in Region XII, most of those
who had attended a training are aged 50-59 years
old which summed to 34 percent.
FIGURE 20.
Percentage of population 15 years old
and over who attended any livelihood
adult literacy program or non-formal training
by age group, Philippines and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Among the trainings mentioned,
43 percent attended a livelihood training, 18
percent in values development, and 13 percent
joined leadership training. In Region XII, 57
percent attended a livelihood training, 19 percent
joined in values development and also 19 percent
in leadership training.
FIGURE 21.
Percentage of population 15 years old
and over who attended any livelihood adult literacy
program or non-formal training by type of training,
Philippines and Region XII 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
Among regions, Davao (region XI)
posted the highest proportion of those who had
attended any livelihood adult literacy program
or non-formal training (32.8%) followed by Bicol
(Region V) (31.3%) and CARAGA (27.3%). On the
other hand, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) had he lowest attendance with only around
four percent. Only two out of 10 of the population
15 years old and over had attended any livelihood
adult literacy program or non-formal training
in Region XII.
FIGURE 22.
Percentage of population 15 years old
and over who attended any
livelihood adult literacy program or non-formal
training by region, Philippines 2003
Source: National
Statistics Office, 2003 FLEMMS
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For
more information or data request on the final
report of the 2003
Functional Literacy and Mass Media Survey,
send us email
or visit NSO SOCCSKSARGEN Regional and its
Provincial Offices near you. |
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