ACT: Higher Pisa scores due to sacrifices made by teachers, students, parents

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the country’s improved scores in the latest international learning assessment, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said these fail to account for the socioeconomic conditions of learners and educators and ignore how poverty directly undermines learning outcomes. “The socioeconomic conditions of teachers and students while teaching and learning cannot be separated. It’s difficult to learn while your stomach growls and you’re thinking how you can afford the next meal,” ACT chair Ruby Bernardo said in a statement on Wednesday. Bernardo added that the improvement in scores should not be credited to the Marcos administration but to the sacrifices of overworked and underpaid teachers, students and parents who “carry the burden of the education system despite systemic neglect.” Article continues after this advertisement READ: PH improves rank in international education assessment In the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) scores released on Tuesday, the Philippines improved its ranking in science, mathematics and reading, outranking 14, 16 and 18 countries, respectively. ACT, however, warned the public against being obsessed with international rankings, pointing out that the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation (OECD) and Development did not capture local realities due to its “westernized” and “colonial” perspective on education. “Our conditions are not the same as other countries. There is a difference to our educational system, and the rankings will not mirror our improvement. We must measure our improvement based on the actual situation and needs of our country,” Bernardo said. READ: Dy credits teachers for PH rise in global student performance Article continues after this advertisement ACT urged the government to overhaul the current “colonial, commercialized and repressive” education system and reject foreign-dictated curriculum frameworks. It also told the government to prioritize a nationalist, scientific and mass-oriented education system grounded in national culture and social needs. Article continues after this advertisement Low budget ACT further criticized the Department of Education (DepEd) for having the lowest national education budget worldwide, which the group claims has neglected the need for schools to have good facilities and equipment. It also said the budget was embarrassing and nothing to be proud of. The Department of Budget and Management has touted the P1.326 trillion allocated for basic and higher education in the proposed 2027 national budget as a reflection that the education sector ranks among the government’s top spending priorities. ACT, however, said the education budget only falls under 3 percent to 4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, “far from the amount needed to fulfill the needs of the country such as the amount of teachers, classrooms, education support personnel, and equipment.” “That’s why alongside additions to the education budget, we should improve the state of living in the country, raise the salary of teachers and other personnel, and provide proper support to learners,” Bernardo said. DepEd’s next step The DepEd, in wake of the improved scores, said it would roll out Pisa for Schools, an OECD assessment service that provides school-level performance benchmarked against international standards. “This can help us understand more clearly what is happening inside our schools and where support is most needed,” said Education Secretary Sonny Angara in a statement on Wednesday. “The objective is to turn better data into better decisions, so that improvements in our national results are felt by learners in the classroom.” According to him, the service generates internationally comparable results for individual schools, measuring the same core competencies of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science. “Our goal is not to create another ranking. It is to give schools information they can act on. If we know more precisely where learners are struggling, we can better target interventions, strengthen teaching, and direct resources where they can make the greatest difference,” said Angara. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. The DepEd said Phase I of the program would be conducted as a pilot during the school year, while Phase II, covering 2027 to 2032, is intended to expand the initiative with support from the World Bank. —With a report from Sheridan Delfino