THE SECOND Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) recently unveiled its Year Two Report, Fixing the Foundations.

The report builds on critical issues identified in the Year One Report, Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education, underscoring urgent reform needs across the Philippine education system to secure the future success and stability of Filipino learners.

“As the country’s demographic window closes within a generation by 2045, the next two decades will be critical in shaping our future: whether we move resolutely to address these learning gaps and improve opportunities for our people, or allow the learning crisis to persist, perpetuating poverty,” explained EDCOM Executive Director, Dr. Karol Mark Yee.

“Fixing the foundations of education is not only a social development issue, but also an economic imperative,” he added.

EDCOM 2’s Year Two report draws from 97 research studies and insights gained from 45 consultations, school visits, and public hearings throughout 2024. It provides a comprehensive overview of the significant challenges in education, spanning from early childhood to higher education and lifelong learning.

In early childhood, the report highlights that only 25% of Filipino children receive the recommended energy intake in their first 1,000 days, which severely impacts cognitive and physical development. As a result, 1 in 4 Filipino children under age 5 are stunted, despite laws such as RA 11148 (Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act) introduced in 2017 to address the issue.

In basic education, a forthcoming UNICEF study finds that many Grade 3 students are 1-2 years behind curriculum expectations, with Grade 3 students displaying Grade 1-level competencies in reading and math.

The shortage of textbooks in public schools continues to be a challenge, with only 35 out of 94 required titles delivered by January 2025. This points to deeper logistical and administrative issues within the Department of Education that need urgent attention.

Frequent natural disasters exacerbate educational challenges, as schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region lost 48% of school days last year due to typhoons and suspensions, highlighting the vulnerability of schools and the ongoing learning losses.

Higher education also faces obstacles, including high dropout rates, particularly in regions like BARMM, where only 1 in 10 students graduate from college. Additionally, reductions in tertiary education subsidies under RA 10931 threaten to exclude the poorest students from higher education, limiting their economic mobility and future employment prospects.