AN ASSESSMENT conducted by the Department of Education this year showed that 50,000 students in Grades 1 to 3 in the National Capital Region have difficulty reading.

Of the over 384,000 learners who went through the comprehensive rapid literacy assessment, 49,636 were considered “total full refreshers.”

“So lahat ng ating mga eskwelahan ay patuloy na hinahanap iyong mga non-numerates, non-literates,” DepEd-NCR Director Wilfredo Cabral said.

These students will undergo a learning recovery and continuity plan.

Meanwhile, the DepEd-NCR gave assurances that it is ready for full in-person classes by November despite classroom shortages.

“We are saying that we have problems on shortage in classroom – not necessarily in the absence of that pre-pandemic stage – but because there are schools undergoing retrofitting and major repair,” Cabral said.

“Some of those schools will be finishing or will be completed by November, but beyond probably deadline of November 2. But, just the same, within the year, all of us can go to full in-person classes,” he added.