Municipality’s Simple Literacy Rate is high at 98.5%

The 2022 CBMS results for San Lorenzo Municipality disclosed that the simple literacy rate or the percentage of the population 10 years old and over, who can read, write, and understand simple messages in any language or dialect was high at 98.95%. Women’s literacy rate exceeded that of men with 99.18% and 98.74%, respectively.

Consistently, higher literacy rates among females than males were also evident across 10 barangays in the municipality. However, for barangays Gaban and Tamborong, more literate males were recorded than females.

Figure 1. Simple Literacy Rate of Household Population 10 Years Old and Over by Sex and Barangay, San Lorenzo: 2022

Figure 2. Simple Literacy Rate of Household Population 10 Years Old and Over by Sex and Barangay, San Lorenzo: 2022

The graph shows the percentage of children and youth enrolled specifically between ages 3 to 24 and by sex. An increasing trend of school attendance is observed as age increases from 3-5 years old. Almost all household members aged 5 years old to 15 years old were attending school.

In terms of school attendance rates, females have a consistent rate of more than 95% between 5 to 16 years old while males recorded the same rate between 4-14 years old. The gap in the attendance rate between females and males was evident by age 15 years old and widened until 22 years old.

A spike in females attending school was tallied than males of age 20 years old. At ages 23 and 24, however, it was observed that more males than females were attending school.

9,431 individuals among 3-24 years old are currently enrolled

There were 11,490 individuals aged 3-24 years old, wherein 82.08% (9,431) are currently attending school. Of those currently enrolled, 50.49% (4,762) are males and 49.51% (4,669) are females.

Table 1. Enrollment Status Among 3-24 Years Old, by Sex, San Lorenzo: 2022

Finished schooling, pregnancy top reasons why females currently not attending school

There were 835 females aged 5-24 years old recorded not currently attending school. The topmost reason for not continuing or currently not attending school was that roughly 24.19% (202) felt they had reached their expected final schooling at the postsecondary or tertiary level.

The other top reasons are pregnancy, which alarmingly recorded 21.68% (181) of 835 females; it was followed by employment (13.89%; 116), high cost of education or financial concern (8.86%; 74), marriage (8.74%; 73), family matters (7.43%; 62), looking for work (4.67%; 39), disability (3.95%; 33), and lack of personal interest (3.83%; 32).

Other reasons indicated among women that comprised the remaining 2.76% were fear of acquiring the COVID-19 virus, absence of or weak internet connection for online classes, and being too young to go to school.

Figure 3. Reasons for Not Attending School Among Women Aged 5-24 by Sex, San Lorenzo: 2022

Employment, lack of personal interest top reasons why males not attending school

Meanwhile, 1,090 male individuals aged 5-24 years were not attending school. The topmost reason was employment, which recorded 24.40% (266) of the total 1,090 males. The other top reasons were lack of personal interest (20.37%;222), finished schooling (12.94%;141), high cost of education (10.09%;110), looking for work (9.91%;108), family matters (8.62%;94), marriage (3.85%;42), and disability (3.30%;36).

Other reasons that comprised the remaining 4.95% were problems with school requirements such as not having a birth certificate or form 137, accessibility of school, illness, no or weak internet connection, and fear of getting COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Figure 4. Reasons for Not Attending School Among Men Aged 5-24 by Sex, San Lorenzo: 2022

Graduates of TVET tallies at 1,094

The municipality has a total of 1,094 Technical/Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates as of 01 July 2022. It recorded 593 (54.20%) male graduates, higher when compared to 501 (45.80%) female graduates.

Among barangays, Cabano and Sebario have the highest number of TVET graduates with 154 and 153 counts, respectively. Meanwhile, Barangay Cabungahan tallied only 16 TVET graduates with 7 males and 9 females.

Table 2. Graduates of Technical/Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Courses Aged 15 Years Old and Over by Sex and Barangay, San Lorenzo: 2022

The number of TVET graduates was declining with age. Notably, more graduates were recorded aged 20-49 years, with roughly 216 graduates among the age group 25-29.

Moreover, Male TVET graduates dominated their female counterpart for age groups 15-19, 25-29, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, and 65-69 recording a large gender gap of 31.43 percent among age group 50-54, while age groups 20-24, 30-34, and 60-64 were female dominated with a large gender gap of 56.52 percent among 60-64 years old.

Interestingly, more females aged 60-64 pursued and graduated TVET training than males, and age group 65-69 were male dominated, while age group 70-74 have equal number of TVET graduates among male and female in the municipality of San Lorenzo.

Figure 5. Graduate of Technical/Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Courses by Age Group and Barangay, San Lorenzo: 2022

Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is the education or training process where it involves, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and acquisition of practical skills relating to occupations in various sectors of economic life and social life, comprises formal (organized programs as part of the school system) and non-formal (organized classes outside the school system) approaches. (UNESCO)

Currently Attending TVET Courses

In terms of skills development in the municipality, there were 97 individuals aged 15 years and over that are currently attending TVET courses. More TVET enrollees were evident in Barangays Cabano (male dominated) and M. Chavez (female dominated), while Barangays Aguilar, Igcawayan, and San Enrique recorded lower TVET enrollees.

Table 3. Currently Attending TVET for Skills Development Aged 15 Years Old and Over by Sex and Barangay, San Lorenzo: 2022