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VPHS students show dismay as PISA scores drag in PH for 2022 S

Wengel Shane Edoria

OPINION

06 Precise, Prudent, Progressive

FEATURES

tudents at Vinzons Pilot High School (VPHS) express disappointment with the Philippines’ recent performance on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), as the results indicate a decline in the academic performance of Filipino students.

During an interview with 15-year-old Grade nine student, Ghave Real Samonte, she expressed disappointment, noting that the results indicated a trend of underperformance in math, science, and reading. In addition to Samonte’s concerns, the Supreme Student Learner Government (SSLG) Representative Charisse Balanon, also added “Well, it’s definitely concerning. When you see your country not performing well academically, you start to worry about how it might impact your chances of getting into good universities or finding job opportunities in the future.” The assessment conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) showed that the country scored 355 in math, 347 in reading, and 373 in science. The results also showed that out of 81 countries, the Philippines ranked 77th, just ahead of Uzbekistan, Kosovo, the Dominican Republic, and Cambodia in reading, science, and mathematics. WHAT IS PISA, AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),

the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA is a triennial international survey used to assess 15-year-olds worldwide in their reading, math, and science abilities. According to an OECD study in 2018, PISA aimed to provide insights and compare performance gaps between top-performing and low-achieving students with varying education systems throughout the globe. Through the years, PISA has influenced government policies regarding academics and, notably, plays a crucial role in determining a country’s future in science and technology. Since the Philippines’ first participation in the assessment in 2018, there have been few changes in the score. The country remains in the bottom ten countries, with the average score changing by single digits in all categories. LEARNING LAGS DURING THE PANDEMIC. Education Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Michael Poa stated at the PISA 2022 national forum press conference last December 6, 2023, that the country’s performance has remained “stagnant” due to the impact of the pandemic.

“Definitely yung pandemic actually yung nag-impact that’s why stagnant tayo because imagine for two years hindi pumasok karamihan ng ating mga bata” he said, answering the question on what may be the possible cause of the country’s low PISA rating. This was attested by Dianne Sac, who believes that the pandemic caused learning delivery challenges that could be one of the factors for the decline of the results in the latest PISA assessment. “I think one of the causes of the continuous low scores of Filipino students is the pandemic since we were not in school, and it was difficult for us students to catch up with the lesson online,” she said.

Office (SDO) of Camarines Norte also implemented Mass Training of Teachers on Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in science, mathematics, and english to fully equip teachers with skills in learning delivery, curriculum development, and classroom management. DepEd also introduced two new programs, Drop Everything and Read Program or DEAR Program and Catch up Fridays, in which VPHS students participated in its revitalization on the school grounds on January 12, 2024. Despite all the reformative actions made in the current education system, locally and nationally, the country has yet to see positive changes in the next years, Poa stressed during a press briefing in Malacañang.

MOVING FORWARD To mitigate these problems, collective actions from the Department of Education (DepEd) and VPHS were established to improve academic performances in mathematics, reading, and science. Even before the PISA scores were released, DepEd had already imposed its National Learning Camp (NLC) to address learning lags that manifested during the pandemic. The Schools Division

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PISA unveils decline in bullying cases in Filipino students Wengel Shane Edoria A recent study by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed that fewer Filipino students are experiencing bullying on campus, signaling a positive trend in a safer school environment.

According to the PISA study, the number of students experiencing bullying has significantly decreased from 50% in 2018 to 28%, threats decreased from 35% to 19%, and instances of feeling intentionally left out improved from 33% to 14%. Despite the positive results from the study, bullying remains a significant problem and can result in severe consequences on a student’s academic performance. This is mirrored by the recent country’s PISA rating in math, which indicated that individuals who experienced bullying monthly scored between 11 to 44 points lower in this subject. Vinzons Pilot High School (VPHS), under the Department of Education, has been reinforcing several programs that deal with mental health, counseling, and antibullying programs.

PULSE PACER Are you satisfied with the Department of Education’s current programs like Catch-up Fridays and the DEAR program to address learning lags? The Department of Education has launched “Catchup Fridays” along with “Project DEAR” (Drop Everything and Read). These initiatives aim to improve learners’ foundational, social, and relevant skills through independent silent reading. These programs are part of the Department’s efforts to address learning gaps identified in the 2022

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. Results of the survey conducted by The Echo in Vinzons Pilot High School last February 1 - 4, 2024 revealed that 7 out of 10 Vinzonians are not satisfied with DepEd’s programs to address

learning lags.

7 10 out of

disagree

Graphics by Jazlyn Cronica Torralba

Graphics by Raeven Louise Villafranca