MANILA, Philippines— Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has found the latest report on Filipino learners ranking low in another global assessment “so depressing.”
“This is a major crisis,” Gatchalian said in a statement Friday, reiterating his earlier remark during Thursday’s meeting of the Senate committee on basic education which he chairs.
“The country has been participating in global assessments as an additional tool to measure the effectiveness of the basic education curriculum. The dismal result for the third time is so depressing and should serve as a wake-up call,” he added in the statement.
It was during the same hearing that the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019, showing Grade 4 Filipino students ranking lowest among 58 countries in mathematics and science, were brought up.
This report, Gatchalian said, shows a pattern of Filipino learners failing to master basic competencies and underperforming among their peers in regional and global assessments.
He warned that failure to implement reforms “would only aggravate this learning crisis.”
The senator then reiterated the need to decongest the K to 12 curricula and ensure its focus on boosting learners’ basic competencies in Reading, Writing, Math, and Science.
The Department of Education expects the results of its curriculum review by 2021, he further noted.
Aside from decongesting the K to 12 curricula, Gatchalian also underscored the need to ensure that teachers are capable of teaching the K to 12 curricula.
“Kailangan nating ituring na nasa ilalim na ng isang malawakang krisis ang ating sistema ng edukasyon. Hindi na natin kailangang patagalin pa ang pagsulong sa mga reporma dahil kung hindi, patuloy na mahuhuli at mapag-iiwanan ang ating mga mag-aaral,” said the senator, who also a bill filed that seeks to reform teacher education and training in the country.
(We need to treat our system of education as a major crisis. Let’s not prolong the needed reforms or else our students will continue to lag behind their peers)