Senator Joel Villanueva. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — “Disheartening.”
This was how Senator Joel Villanueva described Thursday the Philippines’ ranking in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, which found the country lowest in reading comprehension out of 79 countries.
“While this is a great concern in our basic education system, it will certainly have an effect on the ability of our students to cope with higher [education] environment and complete higher education,” Villanueva, chair of the Senate committee on higher, technical and vocational education, said in a statement.
Based on PISA 2018 results, the Philippines is the lowest in reading comprehension as it garnered a score of 340 – way below the average score in reading comprehension of all participating countries, which is 487.
Further, PISA 2018 results showed that the Philippines scored 353 in mathematics and 357 in science – both also below the average score of all participating countries.
Proper nutrition and appropriate learning environment
For Villanueva, proper nutrition and appropriate learning and play environments as early as pre-school play an important role in the learning and academic performance of a student.
He then expressed hope that his proposed Senate Bill No. 858, which seeks to amend existing laws to strengthen the barangay daycare system, will be considered.
“This is to give them proper care while their parents go to work. This will ensure proper nutrition and development support,” Villanueva said.
“I hope my proposal will be considered and will contribute to improving not just the academic performance but the overall welfare of underprivileged children,” he added.
Following the release of the PISA results, the Department of Education (DepEd) said it “recognizes the urgency of addressing issues and gaps in attaining quality basic education.”