EDITORIAL

Rooted in the oldest layers of our country’s societal problems lies a crisis that is almost always overlooked. The state of education in the Philippines is by far one of those that are considered subpar compared to its neighboring nations

According to the latest assessment by Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2019, the Philippines ranked 2nd among six nations in the SEA region for the highest learning poverty with a 90.9% rating.

As defined by the World Bank, learning poverty means being unable to read and understand short, age-appropriate texts by age 10.

Speaking in numbers: Pre-pandemic and Post-pandemic figures

Over the years, the Philippines have also ranked low in a handful of education studies. As seen in the report released by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2018, data shows the Philippines at the bottom percentile, scoring the lowest in reading comprehension and second to the last in Science and Mathematics.

With face-to-face school operations being halted for two years, these pre-pandemic figures were exacerbated by the consequences of online learning. In the recent monitoring report from UNESCO Global Education, the Philippines showed a decline in education quality, stepping down from its 52nd spot in 2020 to 55th in 2021 out of 77 countries.

Constant declines in world education rankings would lead one to think that systematic solutions are laid out with each report release. However, ingrained in the pool-filled flaws of this nation is a worrisome lack of effective solutions to combat the rising deterioration of education.

The repercussions cushion In

It goes without saying that the education problems the Philippines face result from mismanagement way past due.

Albeit present in our society since time immemorial, the severity of the education crisis has never been more visible until the first half of 2022, when Filipinos in social media began to notice a disparity in the average Juan and Maria’s reading comprehension. Including their ability to recall general information.

In full high-definition and real-time display, the huge gaps in education became even more evident as social media users—mostly of the young adult population, clashed on their political views and created a clamor of disagreements during the campaign period for the 2022 National Elections.

During these times, classes were held in an online mode of environment. The prolonged learning period in such a set-up was linked as a correlating factor in the series of events showcasing the low-quality learning foundation of a collective number of Filipinos on social media platforms.

As per UNICEF, the percentage of 10-year-olds lacking the foundational learning requirement is at a 70% high compared to the 53% recorded data prior to COVID-19. This 17% increase in learning losses is highly associated with the poor learning development brought about by the 2-year virtual learning set-up.

Illustrated by Jasmine Bernadette Bembo

On education budget and beyond

It is a known fact that one of the root causes of the problems in our education system stems from the lack of financial support from the government itself. Classroom shortages, outdated learning materials, poor infrastructures, inadequate salaries, and understaffed facilities, among many others, contribute to the country’s growing decline in education quality.

The United Nations strongly recommends that at least six percent of a country’s GDP be allocated to education to cater effectively to learners’ needs. However, the Philippine government’s expenditure on education barely reached the points on these digits. In 2019, only 3.23% was allocated to the education sector. This increased by 0.34% in 2020 and closed at 3.88%.

This underinvestment in education is significant to Filipino learners’ academic performance. In the long run, it would affect not just the literacy rate in the nation but also our economic standpoint and global competitiveness.

One step forward, and then?

For 2023, the proposed budget for basic education is marked at 4.3%---only a small increase from the previous allocations but a big step forward in the face of education improvement.

It must be noted that increasing the spending allocations does not necessarily guarantee a definite improvement in the overall status of education. Effective plans and well-rounded programs are needed just as much as pesos to propel massive improvements in the education sector. But what do we do when past the budget approvals, no concrete course of action is being laid out?

In his 100th-day speech, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the education sector. He mentioned that his priorities are focused on the resumption of face-to-face classes and providing refresher courses for teachers.

He says that he seeks to put an end to the poor learning materials in public schools. On how he plans to put this plan into action, on the other hand, was not emphasized. With unclear and insufficient information on what to expect in his term begs the question of whether the toppling issues surrounding the education sector will ever be dealt with in his administration.

To stop this crisis, we have to put comprehensive plans in the spotlight.

Although the issue of learning poverty is seen and treated as a matter of national concern, the crisis will not be solved by mere short-term responses from the government. Acknowledging is one thing, but solving it is another. The problem will remain seething unless it is approached head-on with plans of action that are made to make actual changes. Changes that would ripple through on a long-term basis.

One way to do this is to approach the problem from its roots. Appointing a capable education secretary with the fitting credentials and expertise on the situation is an excellent way to penetrate the grounds on which the issue stands. To pilot a department where millions of students depend their future on is a serious responsibility. Intensive, evidence-based solutions are a need of extensive extent, especially since the post-pandemic recovery of the department must be taken care of simultaneously with all other systemic issues brought about by the government’s decades of neglect.

The government should realize that behind every decision they make comes a huge wave impacting the lives of their constituents. The country’s future sits right on the edge of the decisions they approve of; hence, it must be created strategically with utmost consideration not just of what works best for them as politicians but of what is needed by the struggling Juan and Maria.