MANILA, Philippines - 51 million: Total number of Filipinos aged 10-64 who can read and write as of 2003.

48 million+: Estimated number of Filipinos between 10-64 years old who were functionally literate. Functional literacy includes not only reading and writing skills but also numerical and comprehension skills.

2: Estimated percentage of Filipinos aged 10-64 who are functionally literate even without formal education.

16.8: Percentage of school-age population who did not have access to primary education in SY 2006-2007.

344,000: Estimated number of elementary public school teachers in RP in that same period.
128,000: Estimated number of secondary public school teachers in RP.

1:35: Teacher-student ratio in public elementary schools in RP during SY 2006-2007.

1:39: Teacher-student ratio in public high schools in RP.

1:50: Ratio of classrooms to students on a double-shift basis.

15,000+: Number of classrooms built in 2007.

16,000+: Number of new teacher items created by the Department of Education in 2007.

P18,859: Average monthly wage rate for college, university and higher education teaching professionals, according to the latest Occupational Wages Survey (2006).

P13,800: Average monthly wage rate for general elementary education teaching professionals.

P12,039: Average monthly wage rate for general secondary education teaching professionals.

8.55 percent: Dropout rate among high school students for SY 2006-2007

6.37 percent: Dropout rate among elementary students.

Compiled by Kate Pedroso, Inquirer Research
Source: Department of Education, Inquirer Archives, National Statistics Office, Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics