Lawmakers, advocates: PISA results reflect clear indication of ‘learning crisis’ in PH

ARTICLE : ADRIANA DAVID | DECEMBER 11, 2023.

Quezon City High School Students during their first day of classes on August 29, 2023 | via Adriana David

Advocate groups and state officials raised indications of the current Philippine learning crisis after the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) released the 2022 evaluation result on global education performance—showing that Filipino students are still behind in reading, mathematics, and science proficiency.

The Philippines ranked 77th out of 81 participating nations, marking the second year of the Philippines' involvement in PISA. In 2018, the country attained the lowest rank in reading and the second lowest in science and mathematics among 79 countries.

The PISA 2022 evaluation revealed average scores of 476, 472, and 485 points in reading, math, and science respectively, across member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

In math tests, the country improved with a score of 355, up from 353 in 2018, and 347 in reading tests, indicating a seven-point increase from the 2018 score of 340. However, there is a marginal decline in Filipino learners' scores in science tests, dropping from 357 to 356.

ACT Teachers Representative France Castro said in a statement that these two consecutive involvements of the country are “about the same,” ranking below the standards of the international evaluation.

Castro underscored that the recent results of PISA reflect the ineffectiveness of programs implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) in addressing the “learning crisis” in the country.

However, Basic Education Senate Chairman Sherwin Garchalian emphasized that the learning crisis was brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and there are still many reforms that need to be pursued to intensify the recovery and ensure quality education.

On December 6, advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) argued that the 2022 PISA results indicate a crisis in the Philippine education system.

“A crisis of this magnitude requires swift action and great effort from all sectors. [...] The state of education in the Philippines demands immediate attention, collective effort, and a commitment to improvement so we can give our children the best learning experience that they deserve,” PBEd said in a statement.

However, for DepEd Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte, the results are “not merely a reflection” of the Philippine education system but of the agency’s collective efforts, investments, and commitment to education, alongside the envisioned future for Filipino children.

Meanwhile, DepEd Senior Education Program Specialist and PISA focal person Alex Sucalit Jr. said that the recent global education results might have shown that the Philippines is about “five to six years” behind as compared to other countries with higher scores.

Moreover, according to a report by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), around 5,000 schools lack access to electricity, 10,000 lack access to clean water, and 39,335 schools need upgrades to their electrical connections across the Philippine provinces.

Just this September, high power costs drained school budgets needed for school development in Occidental Mindoro, while classroom shortages in Cagayan de Oro City forced pupils from different grade levels to share teachers and learning spaces.

The 2023 State of the Philippines Education report also showed that teachers lack support which resulted in their struggles with non-teaching tasks, affecting their ability to teach effectively—they are also overworked and underpaid. The same report also underscored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education system, with over 1 million students not attending school in 2021.

Evaluations such as PISA and the National Achievement Test (NAT) provide crucial feedback, guiding decisions and shaping education policies in the country. These assessments play a pivotal role in driving improvements in the education system, based on DepEd.