Gov’t urged to deal with ‘learning crisis’

The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) has asked the government to address the learning crisis in the country after Filipino students performed poorly in science, math and reading during two international student assessments conducted in 2019. In a statement issued on Monday, the nongovernmental organization also noted the lack of a clear plan to bring students back to school safely, even as more than two million failed to enlist for the current school year.

“If the success of a society is measured by how well it invests in its children, then the Philippines is failing,” it said.

Recent data from the Department of Education showed that 25 million students were enrolled in both public and private schools this school year, while around 2.7 million others had dropped out.

In December, results of the 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics showed that a high percentage of Grade 5 Filipino students scored the lowest among six countries in mathematical, reading and writing literacy.

Similarly, Grade 4 students from the Philippines were ranked last among 58 nations in another study that measured their skills in math and science.

Following these dismal results, the PBEd called on the government to “draw up urgent, systemic, decisive and targeted reforms” in the Philippine education system, which had suffered a major overhaul due to the pandemic.

The NGO said that the country’s education commission for 2021 should consult with the private sector, civil society and top educational institutions in drawing up solutions to address the learning crisis resulting from malnutrition among children and inequitable access to schooling, among others.

“Stemming the learning crisis is a gargantuan task and requires leadership and ‘bayanihan.’ The government must take the lead in building an education system that Filipino learners deserve–one that realizes their full potential,” the PBEd said.