A ‘no fail policy’ in schools? The policy’s long-term impact may do more harm than good to the academic performance of learners, Senator Win Gatchalian stressed.
“Hindi ako sang-ayon diyan dahil may mga bata talagang mahina, halimbawa, sa Math, Reading, o sa Science. Dapat nating malaman ‘yun para matulungan natin sila. Kung ipapasa mo lahat, paano mo malalaman kung saan siya mahina?” Gatchalian asked.
“Imbes na matulungan natin sila, lalo lang natin silang pahihirapan pag-akyat na sa susunod na baitang. Yung mga pagsasanay sa iba’t-ibang mga subjects ay para malaman kung saan po sila mahina,” he added.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture emphasized that the goal of continuing education, even amidst challenging conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, is to ensure that the country’s more than 25 million learners in the basic education sector are learning enough and will be adequately prepared for their next level of schooling.
Gatchalian also reiterated that the assessment of learners should focus not only on the competencies that they are acquiring, but also in areas where they are struggling. This would help schools target learners in rolling out remedial programs to address learning gaps and losses. Learners who proceed to the next grade level without receiving interventions in areas where they are weak will continue underperforming, the lawmaker warned.
Gatchalian recalled that K to 12 learners are already struggling in mastering basic competencies before the COVID-19 pandemic, recalling the results of three international large scale assessments: the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2019, and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019. Filipino learners trailed behind their global counterparts in all three assessments.
In a recent hearing at the House of Representatives, officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) rejected the proposal anew to implement a no fail policy system.
