The data on Mathematical Literacy among Filipino students reveals several noteworthy trends

and disparities. The average score of Filipino students in Mathematical Literacy, at 353 points, stands
significantly below the OECD average of 489 points. Alarmingly, only 19.7% of Filipino students
achieved at least the minimum proficiency level (Level 2) in Mathematical Literacy. When compared to
other ASEAN countries, Filipino students performed closest to Indonesian students but lagged
significantly behind by 26 points. Gender differences are evident, with female students outperforming
male students, as the average Mathematical Literacy score for females was 358 points, while for males, it
was 346 points.

School type also plays a role, with students in private schools scoring significantly higher (395
points) than their counterparts in public schools (343 points). Moreover, the transition to Senior High
School (SHS) appears to have a positive impact, as SHS students outperformed Junior High School (JHS)
students by a notable 96-point difference. Regional disparities are apparent, with the National Capital
Region (NCR) achieving the highest average score of 385 points, while Region 7 (Central Visayas) and
Region 11 (Southern Mindanao) excelled in their respective island groups. Region 6 (Western Visayas)
had the highest percentage (2.74%) of Level 4 proficient students in Mathematical Literacy among
administrative regions.

Finally, an urban-rural divide is evident, with students in urban areas scoring significantly higher
(365 points) than their counterparts in rural areas (329 points). This data underscores the multifaceted
nature of factors influencing Mathematical Literacy outcomes, from regional disparities to school types
and gender variations. Addressing these disparities will be crucial in developing effective strategies to
improve overall mathematical proficiency among Filipino students. (DepEd PISA 2018, 2019)

Efforts to enhance the teaching and comprehension of mathematics persist as researchers strive to
understand the factors influencing students' performance in the subject. A recent study at the Cebu
Technological University San Francisco Campus, Philippines, focused on 52 Education students enrolled
in the mathematics program, utilizing a descriptive-correlational design. The investigation, employing a
survey on study habits and attitudes, revealed a significant positive correlation between students' study
orientations and their academic performance in Mathematics, as indicated by their Graded Point Average
(GPA). The findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing diverse study orientations
among students, prompting a recommendation for further exploration of research-based study strategies to
refine educational practices in mathematics (M. Guinocor, 2020).
 In a 2018 study examining Filipino students' mathematics performance, it was found that over
50% of students scored below the lowest proficiency level, with public school students performing less
satisfactorily compared to their private school peers. Using machine learning, particularly binary
classification methods, the researchers aimed to identify variables distinguishing poor-performing
students from better-performing ones. Analyzing data from a nationally representative sample of 15-year-
old Filipino students, the study differentiated between private and public school groups. The Random
Forest classifier emerged as the best model, highlighting key variables influencing performance in both
school types. The study underscores the significance of various socioeconomic and unique motivational,
family, and school-related factors that contribute to students' mathematics performance in different
educational settings (A.B.I. Bernardo et. Al., 2022).

Improving the proficiency in mathematical literacy is one of the efforts to improve the human
resources quality. Its development describes the students’ strengths and weaknesses to support the
improvement. The research tried to describe the development of students’ proficiency in mathematical
literacy, based on the school level and the students’ gender. The research was a cross-sectional
developmental study. The population was all of students ranging between 13 and 16 years old in the
Province of Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. In the sample were 1,001 students in the 8th, 9th and
10th grade, determined to use the combination of stratified and the cluster random sampling technique.
The data were collected using 30 items. The data analysis was conducted by estimating students’ ability
through the item-response theory approach under the Rasch model and by using the parameters that had
been adjusted to the international study item parameter under the concordance model for the linking score
to interpret the students’ development. The research results showed that there has been improvement of
literacy proficiency among the 8th, 9th and 10th grade students. The development would generate higher
scores utilizing multiple choice test items. There was a tendency that the school level, gender, the form of
items, content, context, and process literacy would influence the mathematical literacy score. The efforts
for improving proficiency in mathematical literacy were discussed (H. Retnawati and N.F. Wilandari,
2019).

The importance of literacy is a competency requirement that must be possessed by students to

face competition in the 21st century. This is directly related to the extent to which students' scientific
thinking processes understand and solve problems. This study aims to describe how literacy is trained in
learning in junior high schools. The approach used is a qualitative approach with the type of
phenomenological research. The participants in this study were 5 junior high school teachers who teach in
the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Data was collected through virtual interviews with the help of the
Google Meet platform. The data analysis model used is the model of Bogdan and Biklen with data
collection procedures, data reduction, verification and conclusion. The results showed that literacy was
trained on students with the habit of reading textbooks for 15 to 30 minutes every day by reporting their
readings in student journals, teacher efforts in changing project and problem-based learning methods and
strategies according to student conditions, and teacher habituation in providing HOTS level questions to
train students' critical thinking processes, balance theoretical understanding and understand the
surrounding environment (Nur Anisyah Rachmaningtyas et. Al., 2022) .

One of the 21st century skills is the mathematical literacy ability. The aim of this research was to
describe the mathematical literacy ability student based on mathematical ability. This was qualitative
descriptive research. The subjects of this research were three 8th grade students an Islamic secondary
school at Yogyakarta. The data collection was by test and interview methods. The research instruments
was mathematical literacy test used 4 PISA questions and semi-structured interview guidelines. To
determine students’ mathematical literacy based on students mathematical ability, first step is grouping
the students mathematical ability. There are 3 type of mathematical ability, high, average, and low
mathematical ability. One subject from every group were chosen namely S1 (students with high
mathematical ability), S2 (students with average mathematical ability), and S3 (students with low
mathematical ability). Mathematical literacy test and interview were given and analyzed. The analysis
result showed that students with high mathematical ability can reach level 2 and level 4 mathematical
literacy PISA, students with average mathematical ability can reach level 2 Mathematical Literacy PISA,
and students with low mathematical ability can’t reach mathematical literacy level 2, 3 or level 4 PISA
( Aulia Nurutami, Riyadi and Sri Subanti, 2018).

There have been a number of studies investigating how attitudes such as confidence and
motivation affect students and their academic achievement. This study assessed the attitudes towards
Mathematics and proficiency in Mathematics of Senior High School Students across different strands.
The respondents of the study were 868 grade 11 senior high students of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Prebaccalaureate Maritime (Maritime), Accountancy, Business
and Management (ABM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), and Technical Vocation and
Livelihood (TVL) strands. It aimed to ascertain the selected SHS students’ level of Mathematics
proficiency and their attitudes towards Mathematics. The Attitudes’ Toward Mathematics Inventory
(ATMI) was used to measure and determine the students’ attitudes in terms of value, enjoyment,
motivation, and self-confidence. Mathematics proficiency was based on the core subject, General
Mathematics, the content was functions and graph. The two variables were correlated across different
strands. To gather the data an Attitude Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI) and a teacher-made test
were used. ATMI scores indicated that they valued mathematics, but their scores for Self-Confidence,
Enjoyment, and Motivation were somewhat negative in attitudes. As a whole, students’ across strands
showed a negative attitudes towards mathematics. The results indicated that there is a significant
relationship between attitudes towards mathematics and proficiency in mathematics. These findings
indicate that teacher educators should be aware of Senior High School students across different strands’
attitudes and seek to improve them in order to positively influence students’ proficiency in mathematics
(Adonis Fulgar Cerbito, 2020).

Feedback is vital in just about all learning contexts. These pages look at the central role that
feedback plays in student learning, and explores ways to help the reception of feedback to be improved.
I've also linked feedback to the development of competence, exploring the different roles that feedback
has at different stages on the pathway towards conscious competence. The main section of these pages
then expands on some tactics for making feedback work, whether in writing, face-to-face, in print, or
electronically. All forms of feedback have their pros and cons, and I've tried to highlight both sides of the
picture in each case, to help you decide how best to use feedback in your own teaching, learning and
assessment contexts (Phil Race, 2009).

School Year 2016-2017 marked a significant phase as it formally opened Senior High School
(SHS) with different tracks and strands under the K to 12 Basic Education System. In line with this, core,
applied, and specialized subjects in which students generally have zero or at least little knowledge are
offered which aim to prepare the students in their choice of career when they will enter tertiary education
or enter the world of work, thus lead the graduate at their main education exit points. In the Philippine
system of education, one of the subjects which have placed as of great importance is Mathematics. Hence,
it should be stressed out in the classroom and must be coupled with the meaningful and effective factors
in order to meet the desired goals of teaching which is an effective transfer of learning from the teacher to
the students (Kapp, 2012).