DepEd welcomes PISA results, recognizes 'gaps' in education quality

The Philippines ranked last in reading comprehension and second-to-last in mathematics and science among 79 participating countries in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The Department of Education (DepEd) acknowledged these results on December 4, 2019, stating that participation in PISA establishes a baseline for global standards and will inform future reforms.

In response to the PISA results and in recognition of existing gaps, DepEd is launching 'Sulong EduKalidad.' This initiative focuses on four key areas: reviewing and updating the K to 12 curriculum, improving learning facilities, upskilling and reskilling teachers and school heads, and fostering collaboration among all stakeholders to enhance basic education quality.

The PISA 2018 report for the Philippines indicated that socio-economic status accounts for a significant portion (18%) of the variance in reading performance, higher than the OECD average. The country also showed the largest percentage of low-performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Additionally, the Philippines had the highest percentage of students reporting being bullied monthly, along with the largest class sizes and highest student-to-teaching staff ratio in socio-economically disadvantaged schools.