Senator Nancy Binay has called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to prioritize the collection of accurate data on student competencies, warning that existing gaps in data could undermine the effectiveness of the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP).
“The absence of critical data is deeply concerning,” Binay said in a statement, saying that this gap may lead DepEd to steer its policies in a direction that does not align with the realities on the ground.
While Binay expressed optimism about the ongoing reforms under the MATATAG Agenda, which focuses on foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional learning, she said the lack of consolidated data makes it difficult to assess learners’ competencies and identify those who need help.
“Actually, some of the most concerning issues on the ground are the limited tools given to teachers when it comes to assessment initiatives,” she said.
“We don’t see the whole picture here,” Binay noted. “Unfortunately, may malaking population pa ng mga learner na kailangan ng intervention pero napag-iwanan uli [Unfortunately, there’s still a large population of learners who need intervention but have been left behind again].”
This means that many students who require help are not receiving it, which could hinder their academic progress.
