PISA gains spotlight Smart, Khan Academy education partnership

Insider Spotlight

• Filipino students posted higher average PISA 2025 results in Reading, Mathematics and Science compared with 2022 and 2018.
• Smart, Khan Academy Philippines and the Department of Education have partnered to widen access to digital learning resources.
• PLDT and Smart have also supported more than 32,000 teachers and over 1,000 schools through the CVIF Dynamic Learning Program
  
  
  
  

Filipino students’ improved performance in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment is putting renewed attention on public-private initiatives aimed at addressing the country’s persistent learning challenges.

Students recorded higher average results in Reading, Mathematics and Science compared with both the 2022 and 2018 assessments, marking the Philippines’ strongest performance across the three subjects since joining PISA in 2018. The results, however, cannot be attributed to any single intervention. 

Better learning opportunities

Smart Communications teamed up nearly two years ago with Khan Academy and the Department of Education (DepEd) to support Filipino 15-year-olds. Smart subsequently introduced POWER ALL KHAN ACADEMY 99, giving prepaid customers unlimited Khan Academy access alongside 10 GB of data and unlimited calls and texts.

“No single organization can solve the country’s learning challenges on its own. What we can do is find partners who share the same commitment and bring our respective strengths to the table. For Smart, that means using our connectivity and technology to help put better learning opportunities within reach of more Filipino learners,” Smart first vice president and officer in charge Lloyd R. Manaloto said in a press statement. 

Digital learning

PLDT and Smart are also supporting DepEd’s rollout of the Central Visayan Institute Foundation Dynamic Learning Program. Since 2010, their support has helped train more than 32,000 teachers and implement the program in over 1,000 schools, spanning preschool through tertiary education and special needs education.

The companies’ School-in-a-Bag program, meanwhile, delivers digital learning tools to last-mile schools. Kits include a teacher laptop, tablets loaded with reading and numeracy applications, an LTE pocket Wi-Fi device and DepEd curriculum-based materials. 

Collective work

“The gains reflected in PISA 2025 are a source of encouragement for everyone working to improve learning outcomes in the Philippines,” Education Secretary Sonny M. Angara said. 

“"They also remind us that progress is built over time and through the collective work of our teachers, learners, families, government, and partners from the private sector. We value partnerships that expand access to learning resources and give our teachers and learners additional tools to help them succeed,” he added. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma