Newly appointed Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Monday, July 22, expressed a strong commitment to addressing the pressing issues surrounding the quality of education in the country.
In a speech delivered at the Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office during his first flag-raising ceremony as Education Chief, Angara noted that among President Marcos' marching orders was to uplift the standards of Philippine education and ensure that students receive the quality learning they deserve.
“Sa results ng mga achievement tests, international tests na medyo nangungulelat ang ating bansa (The results of achievement tests, international tests where our country is lagging behind), well, quite frankly, it has been an embarrassment for us. It has become a national embarrassment,” Angara said.
The findings of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), released in December 2023, showed no significant improvements in the performance of Filipino students in mathematics, reading, and science.
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https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/5/pisa-2022-no-significant-improvements-seen-in-ph-students-performance
Angara, however, was quick to add that he is not blaming anyone for the current status of education in the country.
“Wala akong sinisisi dito. Sinasabi ko lang na kung gusto natin resolbahin ito, kailangan magsama-sama tayo (I'm not blaming anyone here. I'm just saying that if we want to resolve this, we need to come together),” Angara said. “We must put our best thoughts, our best intentions, and our best actions together to achieve the best results,” he added.
Angara noted that many of the problems facing the education sector are “decades-old [and] have historical origins.”
“Ang importante diyan, unawain natin ang mga problema, intindihin natin, mag-usap tayo (What's important is that we understand the problems, comprehend them, and engage in dialogue),” Angara said, emphasizing the need for a “constructive dialogue” to develop solutions soon.
In an interview after the flag-raising ceremony, Angara recognized that “there are many problems that persist” in the country’s basic education system that affect the quality of education.
Regarding specific challenges in achieving competencies, Angara stressed the need to ensure that “remediation is available for everyone who needs it.”
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