Aklan gets the highest basic and functional literacy ratings in Western Visayas, according to the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) results presented during a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Regional Statistical Services Office-led forum in Western Visayas. 

In a Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 6 report on June 13, 2025, it cited that Aklan’s basic literacy rate in the region is at 92.1 percent, and the province also topped the functional literacy ranking with 73.9 percent of its population aged 10 to 64 years. 

"According to the PSA data, Aklan’s performance places it ahead of other Western Visayas provinces including Guimaras at 91.2 percent basic literacy, 73.0 percent functional literacy; Antique at 90.1 percent basic literacy, 73.8 percent functional literacy; Capiz at 89.3 percent basic, 70.9 percent functional literacy; Iloilo City at 89.9 percent basic literacy, 70.7 percent functional literacy; and Iloilo province at 88.6 percent basic literacy, 68.4 percent functional literacy," the report said. 

"The region has an 89.6-percent basic literacy rate, which is marginally lower than the country’s rate of 90 percent," PIA 6 added.

The 2024 FLEMMS result also showed that the "functional literacy rate of the region is at 70.6 percent, which is slightly lower than the country’s rate of 70.8 percent," the report further said. 

Basic literacy is defined as the ability of a person to read and write a simple message with understanding, and to compute basic mathematical operations. 

Functional literacy, on the other hand, is the ability to read, write, compute, and comprehend.

PSA Western Visayas Director Nelida Amolar, on officer in charge capacity, emphasized the significance of this year’s FLEMMS.

“The 2024 round is particularly notable as it is the first to follow a three-year cycle, allowing more frequent and responsive data. It also features refined definitions of basic and functional literacy that focus more on comprehension in real-world applications,” she said.

(Info courtesy: PIA Western Visayas)