Press Release
November 23, 2021

Study says learning poverty worsened in PH; Gatchalian bats for education recovery, reforms

Senator Win Gatchalian sounded the alarm on a World Bank report showing that learning poverty in the Philippines has worsened and is now at 90%. Learning poverty is defined as being unable to read and understand a simple story by age 10.

This latest estimate on learning poverty in the country reflects new data from the 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM). In 2019, learning poverty for the Philippines was estimated at 69.5 percent based on 2003 outcomes of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

The WB report also shows that compared to in-person learning prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, learning outcomes have been generally worse with remote learning. According to the report titled "Remote Learning During COVID-19: Lessons from Today, Principles for Tomorrow," distance learning in the Philippines covered only 20 percent of Filipino households with schoolchildren as of March 2021 -- the lowest rate alongside Ethiopia.

"Nakakabahalang malaman na siyam sa bawat sampu sa ating mga kabataang may edad na sampu ang hindi nakakapagbasa, lalo na't nagsisilbi itong pundasyon ng kanilang kakayahan. Kung hindi natin ito matutugunan, lalong mapag-iiwanan ang ating mga kabataan," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

For Gatchalian, the study reiterates the urgency of safely reopening schools for in-person learning and include more pilot schools instead of waiting for the expansion in March next year. It should go hand in hand with the rollout of a learning recovery program, Gatchalian said. In Senate Bill No. 2355, Gatchalian proposed the establishment of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which will cover the most essential learning competencies under Language and Mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and Science for Grades 3 to 10. The program also seeks to give focus on Reading.

Gatchalian also pressed the need to implement reforms that will boost the quality of education through the proposed Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which will assess the entire education sector's performance.

The WB report added that compared to households whose parents have tertiary education, children whose parents or caregivers lack any type of education were three to four times less likely to engage in remote learning.

Citing surveys conducted in March, the World Bank said that 40 percent of schoolchildren in the Philippines with parents or guardians who had tertiary education participated in remote learning activities. Among households with older members who had no education, only nine percent of school children participated in remote learning. Participation rates were both 16% for households with adults that received primary and secondary education.

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'Learning poverty' lumama; Gatchalian isinusulong ang reporma sa sektor ng edukasyon

Ikinababahala ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang isang ulat ng World Bank na nagsasabing lumala ang "learning poverty" sa bansa o umabot na ito sa siyamnapung (90) porsyento. Ang learning poverty ay kapag hindi marunong magbasa at umunawa ng simpleng kwento ang bata sa edad na sampu.

Sinasalamin ng bagong naitalang learning poverty ang datos mula sa 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), isang assessment report sa buong rehiyon. Noong 2019, ang learning poverty na naitala sa bansa ay halos pitumpung (69.5) porsyento batay sa mga naging resulta ng 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) na isa ring international assessment.

Kung ihahambing sa face-to-face classes bago sumiklab ang pandemya ng COVID-19, mas nahihirapan ang mga mag-aaral sa distance learning, ayon sa ulat ng World Bank. Sa ulat na pinamagatang "Remote Learning During COVID-19: Lessons from Today, Principles for Tomorrow," tinatayang dalawampung (20) porsyento lamang ng mga sambahayan sa bansa ang saklaw ng distance learning buhat noong Marso 2021 tulad ng naitala sa bansang Ethiopia. Ito ang pinakamababang porsyentong naitala sa mga bansang saklaw ng ulat.

"Nakakabahalang malaman na siyam sa bawat sampu sa ating mga kabataang may edad na sampu ang hindi nakakapagbasa, lalo na't nagsisilbi itong pundasyon ng kanilang kakayahan. Kung hindi natin ito matutugunan, lalong mapag-iiwanan ang ating mga kabataan,"ani Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Para kay Gatchalian, ipinapakita ng ulat na dapat bigyang prayoridad ang ligtas na pagbubukas ng mga paaralan para sa face-to-face classes. Dapat din aniyang magdagdag ng mga pilot schools imbes na hintayin ang nakatakdang pagpapalawig ng dry run sa Marso ng susunod na taon. Kasabay ng pagbubukas ng mga paaralan, ipinapanukala ni Gatchalian ang pagkakaroon ng learning recovery program.

Sa Senate Bill No. 2355, ipinanukala ni Gatchalian ang pagbuo sa Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program na saklaw ang tinatawag na most essential learning competencies sa Language at Mathematics para sa Grade 1 hanggang 10, at Science para sa Grade 3 hanggang 10. Layon ding tutukan ng panukalang programa ang Pagbasa o Reading.

Binigyang diin din ni Gatchalian ang kahalagahan ng pagpapatupad ng mga repormang mag-aangat sa kalidad ng edukasyon sa pamamagitan ng panukalang Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2). Layunin ng naturang komisyon na repasuhin ang buong sektor ng edukasyon sa bansa.

Ibinahagi rin ng World Bank na kung ihahambing sa mga sambahayang may mga magulang na nakatuntong sa kolehiyo, mas mataas ng tatlo hanggang apat na beses ang posibilidad na hindi lalahok sa distance learning ang mga batang may magulang o guardian na hindi nakapag-aral.

Ibinahagi din ng World Bank na apatnapung (40) porsyento ng mga bata sa bansa na may magulang o guardian na nakatungtong sa kolehiyo ang lumahok sa distance learning. Sa mga sambahayang may nakakatandang hindi nakapag-aral, siyam (9) na porsyento lamang sa kanilang mga anak ang lumahok sa remote learning.

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