CEBU Province is taking a major step to help thousands of students who are struggling to read. On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Governor Pamela Baricuatro officially created the Provincial Education Secretariat (PEdS) to fix low literacy rates and improve student health.
The move comes after a worrying report showed that nearly half of Grade 3 students in Cebu’s biggest cities cannot read at their grade level. Governor Baricuatro believes the problem starts with poor health, noting that hungry or malnourished children struggle to learn.
The PEdS is not meant to replace the Department of Education (DepEd). Instead, it will act as a "central hub" to make sure different government offices work together.
The goal is to coordinate school feeding programs with the social welfare department (DSWD) and manage special education funds more effectively. By working together, the province hopes to see 80 percent of Grade 4 students passing their reading assessments in the next evaluation.
Experts say the reading crisis is tied to stunting—a condition where children are short for their age because they don't get enough vitamins and minerals. Stunting doesn't just affect a child's height; it can permanently slow down brain development.
While nutrition is improving in some areas, the numbers are still a concern:
Cebu Province: Over 18,500 children (7.36 percent) are currently stunted.
Comparison: This is higher than in Cebu City (3.27 percent) and Lapu-Lapu City (1.51 percent).
There is hope for the rest of the province based on recent success in Talisay City. Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. reported that the number of "struggling readers" in his city dropped from roughly 53 percent to 22 percent in just one school year.
Talisay used a program called "Tara, Basa!" which pairs student tutors with younger children and involves parents in the learning process. "It takes a village to raise a child," Gullas said, highlighting that the community must work together to solve these issues.
The province is now creating a "roadmap" for success and will hold public meetings and workshops in April and May to finalize the plan.