Marilyn Cahatol

Students participate in their first face-to-face classes at the Francisco Legaspi Memorial School in Pasig City on November 2, 2022, as the Department of Education implements full physical class attendance in public schools nationwide after 2 years of online and hybrid learning. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

COVID-EDUCATION

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174624442256220221102-face-to-face-classes-pasig-jc-6635.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Students participate in their first face-to-face classes at the Francisco Legaspi Memorial School in Pasig City on Nov. 2, 2022, as the Department of Education implements full physical class attendance in public schools nationwide after 2 years of online and hybrid learning. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em> </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Miseducation, or the country’s “weak” education system caused by the insufficient funds and support from the government, has resulted in millions of functionally illiterate Filipinos, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Saturday.</p><p>“Sabi doon sa year 1 EDCOM (Second Congressional Commission on Education) report na mayroon tayong miseducation o yung sistema natin ay mahina, at nangyari ito hindi lang sa isang administrasyon, nagpatong-patong na ito,” he said in a Teleradyo Serbisyo’s interview.</p><p>(The EDCOM year 1 report showed that we have a miseducation or the system is weak, and it happened not only in one administration, but a series of it.)</p><p>EDCOM 2’s report showed that the Philippine education system failed to provide holistic learning to Filipino students, due to the insufficient number of books and equipment, lack of manpower, among others. </p><p>Gatchalian’s statement comes after he shared on April 30, during the Senate Committee on Basic Education’s hearing, that 24 million Filipinos are found functionally illiterate while 19 million graduated without being fully equipped with necessary skills. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/30/over-24-million-filipinos-functionally-illiterate-gatchalian-1753">Over 24 million Filipinos functionally illiterate: Gatchalian</a></div><p>He said there is no formal policy on passing a student even when illiterate, which happens due to various reasons including the family’s financial burden, parents begging or teachers’ pity on students. </p><p>“Kailangan din kasing mabigyan sila ng intervention program eh, tulad ng tutoring, yung mga suporta, pero hindi rin nabibigyan. Kaya nakaka-graduate sila, na ganito pala ang problema,” he said. </p><p>(They should also be given an intervention program like tutoring and other support but these were also not given. So they graduate without knowing that this is a problem.)</p><p>When asked for possible solutions, Gatchalian said the MATATAG curriculum, first implemented in 2024, will see its full implementation “two years from now.”</p><p>“Malaking tulong din itong MATATAG curriculum kasi binawasan yung number of subjects, binawasan yung number of competencies, so ibig sabihin, mayroon nang mastery,” he said.</p><p>(The MATATAG curriculum is a big help because it reduces the number of subjects and competencies, so they earn a mastery.)</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/09/25/23/deped-starts-testing-matatag-curriculum">DepEd starts testing revised K-10 curriculum</a></div><p>He added that the senior high school (SHS) curriculum is also being revised. </p><p>Gatchalian pointed out that the current SHS program is complicated to implement due to the overwhelming number of tracks that require manpower and resources many schools are not equipped with. </p><p>The technical vocational livelihood (TVL) track, for example, demands specialized teachers and equipment that schools struggle to find. </p><p>“Maganda yung intention, pero kung hindi mo ma-execute ng mabuti. Hilaw yung bata at yung pagtuturo sa kaniya ay hindi magiging kumpleto,” he said</p><p>(The intention was good, but if not executed properly, the student’s learning falls short.)</p><p>The senator said the SHS curriculum should be simple, standardized, and with fewer options. </p><p>Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary for Curriculum and Teaching Jerome Buenviaje shared with ABS-CBN News on April 23 that the education agency targets to hold the pilot implementation of the ‘Strengthened Senior High School Program’ in 2025.</p><p>In the new SHS program, core subjects will be reduced from 15 per semester to five per school year.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/23/deped-eyes-early-may-release-of-revised-shs-curriculum-guides-1819">DepEd eyes early May release of revised SHS curriculum guides</a></div><p>Meanwhile, some immediate solutions Gatchalian suggested to teachers is to conduct a ‘beginning of the year exam’ to determine the students that demand greater attention, and an ‘end of the year’ exam to determine their progress. </p><p>Out-of-school youth, he noted, require assistance from the local government units to encourage them in taking alternative learning system and improve their literacy. </p><p>When asked if online class is recommended, Gatchalian said it is not effective, especially for the public schools where high number of students—with various levels of skills—needs to be taught.</p><p>Online class, he said, is only acceptable for valid reasons including high heat index that is often experienced now. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/07/31/23/no-online-classes-when-on-site-classes-are-suspended-due-to-typhoons-deped-clarifies">No online classes when on-site classes are suspended due to typhoons, DepEd clarifies</a></div><p>“Maging mahigpit dahil hindi natin tinutulungan yung bata kung pinapasa natin at hindi siya marunong magbilang o magkwenta. Magiging mas malaking problema iyan para sa kanya,” he said. </p><p>(Be strict because we are not helping the student if we pass them without learning arithmetic. It will cause problems for them.)</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong><br/><br/><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fA7rqtBDh88?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div>

<p>Miseducation, or the country’s “weak” education system, caused by the insufficient funds and support from the government, resulted in millions of functionally illiterate Filipinos, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Saturday, May 3.</p>

Miseducation, or the country’s “weak” education system, caused by the insufficient funds and support from the government, resulted in millions of functionally illiterate Filipinos, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Saturday, May 3.

Miseducation produced millions of functionally illiterate Filipinos — Gatchalian

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Miseducation produced millions of functionally illiterate Filipinos — Gatchalian

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 03, 2025 01:00 PM PHT

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Updated May 03, 2025 03:24 PM PHT

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