PH Grade 4 students worst in math and science proficiency: study

By CNN Philippines Staff, 10 Dec 2020

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 10) – Filipino Grade 4 students finished dead last in an international study assessing their mathematics and science proficiency.

The 2019 edition of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) gave the Philippines scores of 297 and 249 in mathematics and science, respectively — the lowest among the 58 countries involved in the study.

The Netherlands-based International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, which produced the TIMSS, used a four-level scale to interpret students’ scores: Advanced International Benchmark (625), High International Benchmark (550), Intermediate International Benchmark (475), and Low International Benchmark (400).

The study found out that only one percent of Filipino students reached the high benchmark in mathematics, which means “students apply conceptual understanding to solve problems.”

“Students can solve simple measurement problems. They demonstrate understanding of geometric properties of shapes and angles. Students can interpret and use data in tables and a variety of graphs to solve problems,” the research institution said in its report.

About six percent of Filipino students reached the intermediate benchmark, where they can “apply basic mathematical knowledge in simple situations.” Around 19 percent of them finished in the low benchmark, which shows they possess “some basic mathematical knowledge.”

Meanwhile in science, 13 percent of Filipino students were in the low benchmark, which means “students show limited understanding of scientific concepts and limited knowledge of foundational science facts,” the same study said further.

Only one percent of Filipino students are in the high benchmark while five percent are in the intermediate.

Reacting to the study’s findings, the Department of Education said in a statement on Thursday it “welcomes the insights of the TIMSS 2019 results to further its efforts to raise the quality of education in the country.”

“We reiterate that our participation or re-participation in these international assessments indicates a step forward towards addressing curriculum and learning gaps in the country’s basic education,” the statement read.

DepEd said that the country rejoined the study after 16 years.

“Our standing policy is to translate these international assessments into concrete and implementable actions that can have a direct impact on our learners’ achievements and teachers’ improvements,” said DepEd.

The TIMSS, which was started in 1995, is held every four years to measure student achievements in mathematics and science.

The 2019 TIMSS was conducted at the fourth and eighth grades in 64 countries, but the Philippines only participated in the assessment for Grade 4 students.

Filipino students had previously ranked the lowest in reading comprehension and second lowest in science and mathematics among 79 countries in 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.