Public schools in Central Visayas are facing a shortage of around 10,000 classrooms, according to the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 7, highlighting the urgent need for additional learning spaces to keep up with the region’s growing student population.
The Philippines posted its best performance to date in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), registering significant score increases across all core subjects (science, mathematics, and reading).
Compared to the previous assessment results (2022 PISA cycle), the country’s scores improved by at least 16 points across the board, with results showing:
Science: 373 points (+17 points higher than 2022)
Mathematics: 371 points (+16 points higher than 2022)
Reading: 367 points (+20 points higher than 2022)
Despite the record gains, Philippine scores remain below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) global averages:
- OECD Science Average: 482
- OECD Math Average: 463
- OECD Reading Average: 461
Although remaining below the OCED average, the Philippines outperformed at least:
- 14 countries in Science
- 16 countries in Mathematics
- 18 countries in Reading
Gaining special recognition in the process as the OECD explicitly identified the Philippines as the fastest-growing country in terms of reading proficiency progress.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acknowledged the milestones and vowed to sustain momentum by aggressively pushing forward with comprehensive national education reforms. But while celebrating the upward trend, teaching unions and sector representatives stressed that structural bottlenecks persist, with critical gaps highlighted include: acute shortages of physical classrooms, lack of teaching and education support personnel, delayed textbook updates, and the pressing demand for higher salaries and compensation packages for teachers.
