PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he aspires for the country’s education system to become the best in the world.
Speaking at the President Corazon “Cory” C. Aquino National High School in Pasay City during a recognition ceremony for Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) participating schools and education partners on Monday, Marcos said the goal to reach number one would not be difficult due to the capabilities of Filipino students.
“We aren’t number one yet. Let us strive to reach the top spot — it is well within our reach because our students are excellent, our teachers are outstanding, and our parents — along with everyone else — are incredibly kind and hardworking,” said Marcos in Filipino.
In early September, Marcos lauded the Philippines’ performance at the PISA 2025, where it showed that the country gained improvements in all three core areas compared with the 2022 assessment.
The Philippines achieved its highest-ever PISA scores since 2018, rising to 373 in science, 371 in math, and 367 in reading.
He credited the improved scores to the teachers who tirelessly support their students in improving their skills.
“That is why today, we are here to recognize the people and the institutions that helped make all this possible,” said Marcos.
Marcos reaffirmed that education remains his administration’s “highest priority,” and that investments in the education system will continue to help improve the performance of students.
“Education remains this administration’s highest priority. This year, the education budget reached its highest level in the history of the Philippines,” he said.
Under the proposed National Expenditure Program for 2027, education was allocated a total of P975.96 billion.
Government programs such as the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act continue to help learners by providing support to those who need intervention in critical subject areas, particularly reading, science, and mathematics.
Senate President Win Gatchalian on Monday said the country’s improved PISA performance showed that learning recovery programs and curriculum reforms could further improve Filipino students’ academic performance.
Gatchalian cited ARAL as a key program in closing learning gaps, particularly among students who continue to struggle with basic reading skills.
An impact evaluation by nonprofit organization Youth Impact, in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the World Bank, found that the program resulted in 4.5 million fewer struggling readers during school year 2025-2026.
ARAL received P8.9 billion in funding this year, but it had no allocation in the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program.
Gatchalian also pointed to recent changes in the basic education curriculum as another reform that could build on the gains reflected in the latest PISA results.
Republic Act 12322 removed the mandatory use of the spiral progression approach and gave DepEd greater flexibility in designing and implementing the basic education curriculum.
While the Philippines’ performance in the 2025 PISA improved, Filipino students continued to perform below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average.
Gatchalian said the results should reinforce efforts to sustain education reforms rather than ease them.
