Press Release
June 6, 2023

Gatchalian wants stronger intervention programs for struggling students

Following the release of a report that flagged 'mass promotion' in basic education schools, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement effective intervention programs to help struggling learners catch up.

In its State of Education Report, advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) flagged how mass promotion in schools leads to a lack of mastery in fundamental skills. The report, 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.

The report pointed out how participants misunderstood the "No Child Left Behind" concept, which led to teachers promoting students regardless of their mastery of competencies. 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.

According to Gatchalian, the persistence of a culture of mass promotion, amid the lack of an official policy that promotes it, will have devastating consequences to learners and to national development. He pointed to the need for a thorough assessment of learners, which should serve as the basis for providing remediations and other interventions.

"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. Imbes na makatulong, magdudulot ito ng pinsala sa kanila at sa ating bansa. Kailangan nating tutukan kung paano matutulungan ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral upang matiyak na walang kabataan ang mapag-iiwanan," said Gatchalian.

The senator further stressed the need to assess and help students considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The careful determination and assessment of learners are among the premises of the ARAL Program Act (Senate Bill No. 1604), Gatchalian's proposed measure for learning recovery to address learning loss. The proposed measure mandates the DepEd to conduct an assessment before the start of the ARAL Program to identify the learners who need intervention.

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 learner performance.


Mas malakas na Intervention programs para sa mga mag-aaral isinusulong ni Gatchalian

Matapos lumabas ang isang ulat na pumupuna sa mass promotion sa mga paaralan, hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang Department of Education (DepEd) na magpatupad ng mga epektibong intervention programs upang matulungang makahabol ang mga nahihirapang mag-aaral.

Pinuna ng advocacy group na Philippine Business for Education (PBEd)sa inilabas nitong State of Education Report ang pananatili ng mass promotion sa mga paaralan sa kabila ng kawalan ng opisyal na polisiyang nagbabawal rito, bagay na anila'y nakapipinsala sa pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral. May mahigit-kumulang 300 stakeholders, kabilang ang mga teachers at school leaders na lumahok sa pag-aaral, kung saan lumabas ang koneksyon sa pagitan ng performance ng mga mag-aaral, performance-based bonus ng mga guro, at ranking ng mga paaralan sa mga rehiyon.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, magdudulot pa lalo ng pinsala sa mga mag-aaral at sa kaunlaran ng bansa kung mananatili ang kultura ng mass promotion bagama't hindi ito opisyal na polisiya ng DepEd. Aniya, kinakailangan ang masusing assessment sa mga mag-aaral upang matukoy kung anong mga remediation at intervention ang maaaring makatulong sa kanila.

"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. Imbes na makatulong, magdudulot ito ng pinsala sa kanila at sa ating bansa. Kailangan nating tutukan kung paano matutulungan ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral upang matiyak na walang kabataan ang mapag-iiwanan," sabi ni Gatchalian.

Binigyang diin din ni Gatchalian na lalong kinakailangan ng mga mag-aaral ang assessment lalo na't nagdulot ng learning loss ang pandemya ng COVID-19. Sa ilalim ng ARAL Program Act (Senate Bill No. 1604), isinusulong ni Gatchalian ang masusing assessment sa kakayahan ng mga mag-aaral bilang bahagi ng learning recovery. Nakasaad sa panukalang batas na bago simulan ang ARAL Program, kailangan munang magsagawa ng assessment upang matukoy ang mga mag-aaral na nangangailangan ng tulong.

Tiniyak din ni Gatchalian na tatalakayin ng Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) kung paano wawakasan ang kultura ng mass promotion at maiangat ang performance ng mga mag-aaral.

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