After poor PISA results, Philippine education officials urged to find long-term solutions
The Philippines recently received disappointing results in the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, prompting calls for education officials to prioritize the improvement of the country’s education standards.
Congresswoman Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro of the Batangas 2nd district expressed concern over the country’s dismal performance in the study, emphasizing that the results cannot be overlooked or set aside. She called on education officials to carefully analyze the problem and seek long-term solutions without resorting to temporary fixes.
The Philippines ranked near the bottom in mathematics, reading, and science among 81 participating countries in the PISA study. The average scores of Filipino students were significantly below the average scores of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Only a small percentage of students attained proficiency in these subjects, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Luistro stressed the need for the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to intensify their efforts in reviewing and updating the K-12 curriculum, upgrading learning facilities, and providing professional development programs for educators.
Furthermore, she advocated for the study and adaptation of successful educational practices from high-performing countries like Singapore, Macao (China), Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Estonia to drive holistic transformation in the Philippine education system.
The call for action comes as Vice President Sara Duterte, who also serves as the concurrent education secretary, faces the challenge of addressing the country’s education crisis and implementing lasting reforms. With the results of the PISA study serving as a wake-up call, meaningful changes and improvements in the education sector are expected to be pursued with urgency and determination.
