Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement effective intervention programs to help struggling learners catch up with their studies. Gatchalian made the call following reports flagging “mass promotion” in basic education schools, warning that this could only aggravate the worsening education crisis in the Philippines. “Hindi na natin dapat ipagpatuloy ang kultura na para lang makatapos ang mga mag-aaral ay kailangan na silang ipasa, pero hindi naman sila natututo (We should not continue the culture that just for the students to graduate, they have to pass, but they are not learning),” Gatchalian said in a statement. “Imbes na makatulong, magdudulot ito ng pinsala sa kanila at sa ating bansa (Instead of helping, it will cause harm to them and our country),” he pointed out. In its State of Education Report, advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) flagged how mass promotion in schools has led to a lack of mastery in fundamental skills. The report—which is based on consultations with more than 300 stakeholders including teachers and school leaders—pointed to the flawed connections between student outcomes, performance-based bonus awarded to teachers, and schools’ ranking in regions. Based on the report, participants allegedly misunderstood the “No Child Left Behind” concept, which led to teachers promoting students regardless of their mastery of competencies. According to the study, those who participated in the consultations also lamented how they are being held responsible for learners’ failures and the consequences of retaining or failing underperforming learners. But a continuing culture of mass promotions will have a devastating consequences to students and to national development, Gatchalian warned. The government, he said, should come up with a thorough student assessment  and providing remediations and other interventions. “Kailangan nating tutukan kung paano matutulungan ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral upang matiyak na walang kabataan ang mapag-iiwanan (We need to focus on how to help our teachers and students to ensure that no youth is left behind)," said Gatchalian. Gatchalian also assured that the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) will look at how to reverse the culture of mass promotion and how to improve students’ performance.