DepEd admits some PISA takers lacked basic computer skills

A number of Filipino students who answered the PISA assessment in 2022 did not know how to use computers and struggled to learn amid an inadequate number of equipment in their schools, two Department of Education regional offices said on Wednesday.

During a Senate hearing on the country’s PISA 2022 results, the DepEd regional directors of CAR and CALABARZON said that several schools also had to borrow or crowdsource computers from nearby schools and non-government organizations to accommodate all their PISA takers on exam day.

Just less than a quarter of 15-year-old Filipino students who took the computer-based exam in 2022 reached the minimum level of proficiency in all three subjects of math, reading and science, the latest PISA scores show.

Similar to the 2018 cycle, the Philippines performed worse than the global average in all categories, with its placement in the country rankings moving up by just a few spots.

DepEd CAR director Estela L. Cariño told senators that several PISA takers in two public schools in their region — considered “Last Miles” schools due to their location in a marginalized and geographically distant area — were unfamiliar with using computers as they had yet to learn to use these in school.

These are Sagpat Integrated School and Apayao National Industrial School, located in remote areas in the provinces of Benguet and Apayao, respectively.

Loida N. Nidea, DepEd CALABARZON assistant regional director, said that this was the same case for PISA takers in Region 4A.

“We also tapped private and nearby public schools because of the need for the computers,” Nidea added.

Around 7,000 students from 188 schools – which were randomly selected — took the test in 2022. This includes a mix of public and private schools. –