Economic Scenario in 2022: No Room for Decline According to PISA Results?
In a recent PISA assessment, the Philippines ranked 76th out of 81 countries, reflecting low literacy levels among Filipino youth in math, reading, and science[1][3][5]. The results, announced in December 2023, revealed that only 24% of Filipino 15-year-olds reached the minimum reading benchmark (Level 2 or higher), compared to the OECD average of 74%[3].
The overall low scores in math, reading, and science highlight a significant learning crisis recognized by Philippine officials[1]. The 2022 PISA results place the Philippines near the bottom among participating countries, with the intention of improving performance by 2030 to reach at least the level of countries like Indonesia and Vietnam[1].
Neighboring countries such as Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia outperformed the Philippines in the 2022 PISA. Vietnam, in fact, ranked higher than the US in math[6]. Singapore, on the other hand, ranked first in all three subjects[2].
The Philippine government has initiated programs to address the continuing learning crisis, such as the National Learning Camp and the Matatag Curriculum, which aims to decongest the old K-12 curriculum by 70% and streamline learning competencies[4].
Despite the Department of Education (DepEd) and other agencies getting a large portion of the annual budget, the Philippines continues to underspend in education. There is a correlation between math performance and cumulative spending per student, according to Figure 2[7]. DepEd Undersecretary Gina Gonong stated that the education system is stable and resilient, but there is much to be desired[8].
Alexander Sucalit of DepEd stated that the Philippines is around five to six years behind in terms of student performance in standardized tests like PISA[9]. JC Punongbayan, an assistant professor at the UP School of Economics and the author of "False Nostalgia: The Marcos 'Golden Age' Myths and How to Debunk Them", emphasized the need for greater, more urgent action to stop the learning crisis[10].
For those interested in education and economics, JC Punongbayan can be followed on Twitter (@jcpunongbayan) and the Usapang Econ Podcast. It's important to note that Punongbayan's views are independent of his affiliations.
Research has shown that relatively inexpensive interventions, such as supplementary lessons sent via SMS messages and phone calls, can improve students' test performance[11]. As the Philippines works towards improving its education system, these types of interventions could play a crucial role in helping students catch up.
[1] DepEd [2] OECD [3] World Economic Forum [4] Rappler [5] Inquirer [6] CNN Philippines [7] Manila Bulletin [8] Philstar [9] Inquirer [10] Rappler [11] World Bank
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