SURIGAO del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel has predicted a smooth sailing confirmation for former Senator Juan Edgardo Angara as Secretary of Education when he faces the congressional Commission on Appointments on Wednesday (14 Aug 2024).

“We expect Secretary Angara’s trouble-free confirmation,” Pimentel, CA Assistant Minority Leader, said.

“Secretary Angara is widely recognized to be immensely qualified for the job. So this is not just about according to courtesy to a former member of the House of Representatives and the Senate,” he added.

“In any case, CA members will likely ask Secretary Angara about his roadmap to bring up the test scores of Filipino students in global assessments,” Pimentel said.

The Philippines ranked No. 77 out of 81 countries in an international assessment that measured the performance of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science literacy.

In June, the Programme for International Student Assessment also released a report wherein learners from the Philippines came out with the second-lowest score in creative thinking among 64 ranked countries.

The CA’s committee on education chaired by Sen. Raffy Tulfo is set to deliberate on Angara’s ad-interim appointment on August 7.

On the same day, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac will also face for the second time the CA’s committee on labor, employment, social welfare, and migrant workers chaired by Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez.