1.

What do you think are the reasons why Philippines top to this evaluation as one of the
lowest level of ranking in the educational pursuits?
The Philippines based on the data given is second among the lowest countries in
Southeast Asia. One reason is because according to UNESCO, the Philippines has the
lowest expenditure for education in proportion to total budget, it is second to Cambodia in
terms of the lowest investment in education in Southeast Asia. Also, another reason is that
teachers in the Philippines is one of the lowest paying job, yet, a lot is committed with
dedication to teach young people to have education. In addition to a low paying job, a lot of
paper works is also given to the teachers especially in the public schools, which is why
sometimes, classroom teaching is being sacrificed for the sake of paper works.

2. What are the observable variables and practices which remains blatant in the system?
Corruption in the government is so blatant that most of the Filipinos just got used to
it. The government should invest more in education. Also, during the pandemic modular
distance learning has been adapted by most schools in the country especially in those areas
with no internet connection. Some parents are becoming tired of teaching their children that
it came to a point wherein the parents themselves are the ones who are answering the
modules and quizzes given which shouldn’t be the case.

3. What coping strategies do you think are applicable in addressing these perennial
concerns?
If face-to-face classes can already be done in that area, I think that the schools
should open so that the concerns can be well addressed. There are strategies where the
teachers provide learning activity sheets that can help the pupils read, however, it is hard for
the parents to teach their children how to read if they themselves are not able to do it. One
strategy implemented by our school was a parent’s orientation and a parental seminar
including how to teach reading in their children.

4. What grounds are pulling down the Philippines into the lowest performing country in
ASEAN or even the World?
One of the grounds that is pulling down the Philippines into the lowest performing
country in ASEAN or even the world is that in terms of education spending as a percentage
of total budget, the Philippines ranks second only to Cambodia in terms of education
investment in Southeast Asia. This is the reason why the performance of the Philippines
when it comes to education is down. There is a parallel effect to the system, the investment
in education is low, and hence, the performance is low.

5. Please make an assessment in your classroom practices honestly in dealing this recent
data presented.
Pre-pandemic, we teachers are conducting a reading assessment of our pupils using
the PHIL-IRI. With this, we are able to identify which of our pupils are fast readers,
independent readers, slow readers, and non-readers. Based on this data, we apply
strategies and remediation for the pupils to improve in their reading skills. During the
pandemic, the first school year 2020-2021, there was no reading assessment done.
However, during this school year 2021-2022, we were able to conduct a reading assessment
at the start of the school year and has given remedial activities for the pupils in need of it and
before the school year ends, a post-reading assessment will also be conducted.

6. Make at least 5 best recommendations to addressing this phenomena.

One recommendation is there is a need for a face-to-face classes especially in the
areas where online learning could not be done because of the lack of gadgets and internet
connection among the pupils. Second is the teachers should conduct a reading assessment
among their pupils so that the learning needs can be addressed. Third, the government
should allot more budget for education considering the fact that the Philippines is one of the
lowest countries in Southeast Asia with a low budget for education. Fourth, teachers should
not be given excessive paper works that sometimes hinders or sacrifices their teaching
duties. Lastly, there is a need for a much more competent leader with new strategies on how
to further improve the educational system in the Philippines and turn if from one of the lowest
to one of the highest performing not just in Southeast Asia but in the world.