Reading literacy is an important competency that supports students’ understanding of Islamic Religious Education and Character Education (PAI-BP) materials. However, the reading literacy skills of students at SD Negeri 11 Bukik Batabuah remain suboptimal. This study aimed to identify the factors contributing to students’ low reading literacy skills in PAI-BP learning at the school. This study employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive design. The research informants comprised students as the primary informants and the PAI-BP teacher, principal, and classroom teachers as supporting informants. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation and subsequently analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing and verification. Data trustworthiness was examined through source and method triangulation. The results showed that students’ reading literacy skills remained suboptimal, with mean scores of 65.83 in Grade IV, 66.11 in Grade V, and 73.46 in Grade VI. This condition was influenced by low interest and motivation in reading, differences in learning abilities and readiness, limited family support, underdeveloped reading habits, limited reading materials and facilities, insufficient integration of literacy into instructional strategies, psychological factors, and the use of mobile phones for entertainment. These findings confirm that low reading literacy is a multidimensional problem influenced by the interrelationships among personal, family, school, and technology-use habit factors. This study provides a contextual overview that can serve as a basis for teachers, schools, and parents to design integrated efforts to improve students’ reading literacy.
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