PH education posts strongest global assessment performance — Angara

Insider Spotlight

• Filipino learners posted their highest PISA scores yet in reading, mathematics and science.
• The Philippines recorded gains of 20 points in reading, 16 points in mathematics and 17 points in science from 2022.
• OECD data identified the Philippines as the fastest-improving country in reading based on its 10-year trend.

The Philippines posted its strongest performance since joining the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), with Filipino students improving across reading, mathematics and science in the 2025 global assessment.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced Tuesday that the country scored 373 in science, 371 in mathematics and 367 in reading, improving from its 2022 results by 17, 16 and 20 points, respectively.

Why it matters

The gains offer an encouraging signal for the Marcos administration as it seeks to address the country's longstanding learning challenges and raise student proficiency.

More Filipino learners reached PISA's Level 2 baseline proficiency. The share rose to 32 percent from 23 percent in science, 21 percent from 16 percent in mathematics and 31 percent from 24 percent in reading.

“This is a significant achievement for our learners and for the entire Philippine education system,” Angara said in a briefing. “But more than the numbers, we are seeing evidence that our learners are capable of making real and meaningful progress.”

The big picture

Based on mean scores, the Philippines outranked 14 participating countries in science, 16 in mathematics and 18 in reading.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's 10-year trend analysis identified the Philippines as the fastest-improving country in reading. OECD also cited notable improvement in mathematics and a positive long-term science trend despite a global decline.

“My warmest congratulations to the teachers and school leaders of the Philippines because what you have achieved in this latest round of OECD’s PISA assessment is not just good news for the Philippines, it's a story that deserves to be noticed far beyond your borders,” OECD director for education and skills Andreas Schleicher said.

What's next

DepEd said it will focus on equity while sustaining reforms supporting teachers, schools and improved learning outcomes.

The department also plans to work with education partners on responsible digital technology use and challenges such as cyberbullying.

“We should be proud of how far our learners and teachers have come, but we should be even more determined about how much farther we can go,” Angara said.

— Edited by Daxim L. Lucas