National learning recovery program falls short, needs massive reform – Gatchalian
Photo courtesy of Senate of the Philippines Facebook page.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has raised serious concerns about the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) of the Department of Education (DepEd), saying its execution has failed to deliver meaningful results.
During a recent Senate hearing, Gatchalian emphasized that while the program’s intentions are commendable, it has not effectively addressed the learning loss among Filipino students.
Data presented at the hearing showed concerning gaps in student skills. For example, intervention camps for Grade 8 primarily targeted basic arithmetic, like addition and subtraction, but did not address the more advanced skills needed for Grade 9, such as quadratic equations and inequalities.
Gatchalian pointed out, “Even in the pre and post test, nagbigay tayo ng intervention program, pero bumaba pa [we implemented an intervention program, but the situation worsened]. It goes without saying that this program needs massive reforms.”
“We need to fix this program. The intention is good, but we’re not getting the right results,” he added.
The NLRP aimed to help students catch up on essential learning skills, but the program’s execution has shown significant discrepancies.
Given its voluntary nature, only about 10% of students needing intervention attended the learning camps, leaving many without crucial support.
Gatchalian noted, “We know that we have a problem, but we don’t know the gravity of this problem.”
DepEd data shows only 53.69% of students identified as needing intervention participated in the NLRP assessment. This means many students who should have been assessed for targeted support did not receive screening.
Gatchalian and Senator Nancy Binay, who also attended the Senate hearing, expressed disappointment over the absence of critical data needed to assess the program’s impact.
“Tingin ko ho sa intervention, it has to be incorporated in the school year — bahagi na siya ng school year. I don’t think maku-cure ng camp yung problema. The mere fact na may Grade 7 and 8 who cannot do basic addition and subtraction,” Senator Binay said.
[“I believe that intervention needs to be incorporated into the school year—it should be part of the school year. I don’t think camps will solve the problem. The fact that there are Grade 7 and 8 students who cannot perform basic addition and subtraction is concerning.”]
Dr. Karol Mark Yee, executive director of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, echoed these concerns, saying, “We have asked for this data in writing, and also in three hearings already… We don’t understand why it seems to be difficult to share this information.”
As the NLRP faces scrutiny, the senators urged DepEd to adjust its approach, stressing that intervention should be integrated into the school year instead of relying only on camps.
