Did you watch SONA? Amanda readily answered the affirmative. Then I asked, “Unsa gani ang SONA?” — which made her face grim and her eyes rolling in search for answer. She gasped and in turn asked me “Unsa diay ng SONA?” and we burst into laughter.
I remembered Amanda when the result of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 last was released. The survey showed that Philippine students got the lowest IQ among Asian countries, a reality but also challenge to the Education Department. Philippines ranked low in reading comprehension, mathematics, and science.
Amanda, college freshman taking up Education in a government university, her batch could have been part of those surveyed by PISA.
Caraga’s Butay Integrated school in Principal Pablo Banabal in an interview with NewsLine said that the result of the study reflects the real state of Philippine educational system, where ratio and proportion of books against students show the wide gap. Aside from this gap on teaching materials, classroom congestion is another miserable reality.
Moreover, such reality exist in most public schools where children go to their classrooms with empty stomach, says Public school teacher Elmet Banugan. “Despite poverty, learners go to school in the hope of attaining a diploma,” Often, a teacher shares food with the students, or even spare them the basic school supplies they need like paper and pencils so they can participate on school activities.
Banabal who has been teaching for almost two decades said that the education sector is given its much needed support when President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office. “The education sector only felt the government support lately. We were used to classroom congestion, but as it is now the gap is slowly narrowing. Secretary Briones and the President are giving their heart to Filipino learners,” Banabal added.
The survey connects Banal and Banugan’s observation, it is a grim reality which needs to be looked into. Briones for her part said that the Education department joined the survey for the first time and the result provided them the baseline data that will lead them to lay out a comprehensive action plan and program to address gaps on educational tools and materials.
Amanda’s response to the SONA question reflects the survey result which stated that students are slow in reading and comprehension and has poor knowledge on current events and information they need to be more responsive on narratives. The survey also suggests that students should actually be trained to transformity or narrative style.
The disparity and connectivity in the distribution of educational materials to the far-flung schools is a challenge that DepEd should take as opportunity in planning the next step. Connectivity is associated to reading. The Education Department recognizes the urgency of addressing issues and gaps in attaining quality basic education in the Philippines, following the country’s poor ranking in reading comprehension in an international study.
According to the survey, the Philippines scored 340 points in reading comprehension. The country is also second-lowest in mathematics with 353 points and science with 357 points. It is below the 487 point-average for reading, while 489 for mathematics and science.
A total of 79 countries and economies participated in the 2018 PISA Survey, conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic organization.
OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Briones in a statement said, “With the PISA results, also reflecting the learners’ performance in the National Achievement Test, DepEd recognizes the urgency of addressing issues and gaps in attaining quality of basic education in the Philippines.”
Banabal and Banugan keep their fingers cross as the next teaching module will be mapped out in line with the survey result, because they too, want their students to shine and compete globally.
