Impact of Policy Implementation on Education Quality: A Case Study on Philippines’ Low Ranking in International and Local Assessment Programs

Louie Benedict Ignacio; Andrea Gaile A. Cristobal; Paul Christian David

Authors

Louie Benedict Ignacio University of Sto. Tomas
Andrea Gaile A. Cristobal University of Sto. Tomas
Paul Christian David University of Sto. Tomas

Keywords:

Curriculum, policy implementation, PISA, assessment, Enhanced Basic Education

Abstract

In the recent report released by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Philippines was ranked as one of the lowest in Mathematics, Science, and Reading Comprehension among 79 participating countries. The country also ranked low in other assessment programs, including TIMSS, SEA-PLM, and NAT. Despite the educational reforms established to improve the Philippine Education System, the Philippines remains low and significantly below its neighboring countries regarding quality education. Therefore, this study (1) describes how the Department of Education has undertaken the objectives of R.A. 10533, (2) determines the effect of policy implementation on the ranking of Philippine education quality in local and international assessment programs through the perspective of education experts, and (3) identifies the importance of local and international assessment programs in analyzing the current condition of education quality in the Philippines. This research has employed a qualitative approach using thematic analysis on narratives coming from (1) DepEd-OUCI, (2) DepEd-BEA, and (3) Education Policy experts, as well as documents used by the Department of Education and the Curriculum Consultative Committee. This study concludes that there are still challenges plaguing the implementation process. Hence, the need for further improvement in certain aspects is enumerated in this research. Moreover, considerable discrepancies in the disorganized and incoherent implementation system amongst and within the Department of Education, administrators, and other stakeholders, as well as confounded policy interpretation due to system instability, were all deduced.

Author Biographies

Louie Benedict Ignacio, University of Sto. Tomas

Louie Benedict R. Ignacio, PhD is the Chair and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, University of Santo Tomas. He also teaches in the Department of Political Science of the same University and is a former President of the Philippine Sociological Society.

Andrea Gaile A. Cristobal, University of Sto. Tomas

Andrea Gaile A. Cristobal is currently taking the Juris Doctor program at the University of Santo Tomas with developing interests in the field of public law and educational policy. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the same University with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and was awarded the Best Thesis.

Paul Christian David, University of Sto. Tomas

Paul Christian David is currently taking the Juris Doctor program at the University of Santo Tomas with developing interests in the field of public law, and environmental and educational policy. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the same University with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and was awarded the Best Thesis.