Angara: DepEd has no ‘auto pass’ policy for students
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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is not implementing an “auto pass” or “mass promotion” policy for public school students.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara issued the statement amid public perception that students were promoted to the next grade level despite literacy concerns.
During a hearing of the Senate’s education panel, it was revealed that 18.9 million Filipino junior high school and senior high school graduates are considered functionally illiterate, or those who can read but have difficulty comprehending a simple story or instruction.
“There is no DepEd policy that allows students to be automatically passed,” Angara said. “But we have to admit, some features of the system we inherited may be putting quite pressure on schools and teachers to promote students.”
READ: 18.9M Filipino graduates in 2024 found to be functionally illiterate
Angara also pointed out that “incentives and performance metrics” may have encouraged mass promotions in schools.
“When teachers feel their evaluations and promotions depend on pass rates, the system bends in that direction. That’s not a people problem—it’s a design flaw,” he explained.
He also stressed the need to stop mass promotion, which has become a “silent norm.”
In a statement, the DepEd said it has committed to a major policy review, including “learner assessments, remediation mechanisms, and promotion standards.”
Students will be promoted to the next grade level strictly based on demonstrated learning, while struggling learners will be supported by clearer standards and more effective intervention programs, it added.
READ: DepEd to train students in critical thinking, Angara says
“Teachers will also be evaluated using a broader framework—including process quality, financial efficiency, and client satisfaction, not just student pass rates,” the DepEd said.
Angara previously said that DepEd has intensified its intervention programs among Filipino students by teaching them to be critical thinkers instead of teaching them memorization in schools./mcm
