Teachers Urge Return of ‘No Read, No Move’ Policy

Teachers across the country are urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to reinstate the “No Read, No Move” policy following a troubling report by the Philippine Statistics Authority that 18.9 million high school graduates are functionally illiterate. In response to public concern, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara stated that no child will be left behind in reading and comprehension. He denied that DepEd supports mass promotion but acknowledged the need for systemic reforms to prevent it.

The call to restore the policy gained traction on social media, where more than 50 teachers appealed directly to Angara. Many of them recalled the stricter enforcement of reading standards in the 1990s, particularly in Grade 1, which they believe was more effective than DepEd Order No. 45, s. 2002, which only applies to Grade 3. Their comments reflect frustration with a system they say allows students to advance through grade levels without mastering basic literacy.

Despite the growing clamor, teachers remain doubtful that DepEd will act on their requests. Given the agency’s history of neglecting its own policies, some educators are now calling on Congress to pass legislation that would institutionalize the “No Read, No Move” rule. For many, this is the only way to ensure that reading proficiency becomes a non-negotiable requirement in early education and to stem the worsening literacy crisis in public schools.

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