SENIOR citizens, particularly retired teachers, may soon take on a bigger role in helping address the growing literacy crisis among young learners in Cebu City.
The City Council approved a resolution on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, encouraging senior citizens’ associations to mobilize retired educators to conduct free reading classes for Grades 1 and 3 pupils every Saturday in their respective barangays.
The initiative seeks to tap the experience and expertise of former teachers while providing senior citizens meaningful opportunities to remain active in their communities.
Barangay councils are urged to provide suitable learning spaces. The City Local School Board (LSB) is requested to consider hiring qualified seniors under job order status, with honoraria sourced from the Special Education Fund.
“The LSB is also urged to consider the hiring of qualified senior citizens, particularly retired teachers, under Job Order status to conduct reading classes, with honoraria chargeable against the Special Education Fund, subject to existing COA rules,” the resolution read.
Critical stage
Councilor Harold Kendrick Go, who sponsored the measure, said the program targets the critical stage when children transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”
He said failure to develop reading proficiency at this level could make it difficult for students to grasp more complex lessons in higher grades.
The resolution was crafted in response to findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education. The commission found that nearly 47 percent of Grade 3 students in Cebu City struggle with basic reading skills, placing the city among those with the highest rates of struggling readers in the province.
Mayor Nestor Archival earlier acknowledged the challenge, noting that the city is working with national and private partners to improve literacy outcomes.
“We have programs like the DSWD’s (Department of Social Welfare and Development) ‘Tara Basa’ and assistance from Rafi (Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.). These initiatives started before my term, but we are now working to strengthen and improve them,” Archival said.
The measure cites Republic Act (RA) 9994, which encourages senior citizens to contribute to nation-building through volunteerism, including in education.
In a separate interview, Go said the LSB will determine the starting date of the program, the number of senior citizens to be tapped, and the amount of honoraria.
“Should be the LSB to come up with the implementing rules and regulations,” he said.
The resolution was forwarded to the Office of the Mayor, the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs, the LSB, and all 80 barangays for implementation. / CAV