In a striking reversal of national trends, schools in Norzagaray, Bulacan have successfully engineered a significant increase in student literacy, offering a powerful model of hope for the Philippine education system.
Through targeted interventions, smaller class sizes, and outstanding support from the local government, these schools are proving that the country’s learning crisis can be tackled effectively, according to findings from a joint consultation with the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Since 2023, Norzagaray has initiated Project BRIGHT (BRIdging Gaps through Helpful Tools), a collaboration between the DepEd schools, teachers, parents, and local government officials. Since then, their outstanding results– eliminating illiteracy among their Grades 1 to 3 students, provide a compelling counter-narrative to the 2022 PISA results, where 75% of Filipino students were identified as low performers in core subjects, as well as the 2022 World Bank study that showed 91% of 10-year-old Filipino children could not read a simple text.
“We are inspired by the success of Norzagaray, which shows us in no uncertain terms that every Filipino student can read and achieve their full potential.”
“We are inspired by the success of Norzagaray, which shows us in no uncertain terms that every Filipino student can read and achieve their full potential,” affirmed Dr. Karol Mark Yee, Executive Director of EDCOM 2. “These schools we have visited here in Norzagaray prove that with determined school leaders and teachers, strong community support, and a formidable partnership with the LGU, we can successfully tackle illiteracy, and secure a strong foundation of learning for our students.”
DepEd’s Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA) highlights the remarkable progress in Bulacan for Grades 1-3. The School District Office of Bulacan posted an average progress score of 23.72% in improving student reading profiles during the 2024-2025 school year, outpacing the national average of 20%.
A standout achievement is that 60.73% of students in Norzagaray, Bulacan are now reading at their grade level, far exceeding the national average of 47.74%.
The schools visited by EDCOM 2 and DepEd in Norzagaray exemplified this success.
North Hills Village Elementary School achieved an exceptional 61.6% progress score, followed by FVR Phase 3 Elementary School (52.7%) and Norzagaray Elementary School (47.1%).
Across the three schools in Norzagaray, teachers showcased their intentionality and creativity in coming up with programs that engaged students while improving their literacy. This included learning through play strategies, through games that focused on phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension, story reading during lunch breaks, one-on-one tutorials for students, and even songs and online games to continuously target learners that require further practice.
“Di naman po pwedeng basa-basa agad ang bata…Dinadaan namin sa paglalaro, at may competency naman po na kasama sa learning through play,” Norzagaray Public School District Supervisor Nora Manalo explained. Teachers also highlighted that small class sizes (a 1:31 teacher-pupil ratio at Norzagaray Elementary) and a 1:1 book-to-pupil ratio were crucial ingredients for success.
Teachers consistently cited the unwavering support of the local government as a game-changer.
Norzagaray Mayor Merlyn Germar’s administration provided a P7,000 incentive to teachers for summer reading camps and ensured a quarterly supply of literacy materials.
Germar highlighted the local community’s support as a key contributor to the success of the district’s literacy remediation projects.
The lady mayor reaffirmed the town’s commitment to the programs dedicated to fulfilling the goals under Project BriGHT, such as distribution of books and supporting reading camps initiated by the government.
“Ang pagbabasa ay hindi lamang kasanayan, kung hindi susi ng kinabukasan.”
“Sa Norzagaray, naniniwala kami na ang edukasyon ay responsibilidad nating lahat…na ang pagbabasa ay hindi lamang kasanayan, kung hindi susi ng kinabukasan,” Germar stressed.
This combination of school-led innovation and robust local government partnership allowed educators to focus on teaching, not on resource shortages. DepEd Assistant Secretary Jerome Buenviaje noted that this model provides a concrete framework for the nationwide Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.
“Visiting your schools has given us an idea on how to truly concretize the ARAL Program,” Buenviaje said.
DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma emphasized the importance of data-backed interventions in the schools’ success.
“This really proves that a program like this would be successful if we start to leverage the data. Because of the CRLA, mas targeted kayo, mas focused ang efforts to the learners who need it most,” Garma said.
Joining the EDCOM 2 team from DepEd are OIC Undersecretary for Operations Malcolm Garma, Assistant Secretary Carmela Oracion, and Assistant Secretary Jerome Buenviaje, together with directors and staff from DepEd’s various offices. Bulacan Schools Division Superintendent Norma P. Esteban also joined, together with officers of the Schools Division Office.
The consultations are part of EDCOM 2’s ongoing mission to “fix the foundations” of Philippine education by focusing on nutrition and early-grade literacy.
