SENATE President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian has called for a Senate inquiry into the Department of Education’s (DepEd) grading system, expressing concern that the current grade transmutation policy may be allowing students to advance despite not fully mastering required learning competencies.

In filing Proposed Senate Resolution No. 429, Gatchalian urged a review of DepEd’s grading policy, particularly the implementation of grade transmutation under DepEd Order No. 8, Series of 2015.

Under the policy, a student’s Initial Grade—based on actual assessment results—is converted into a higher Quarterly Grade through a transmutation formula. An Initial Grade of 60, for instance, is equivalent to a transmuted grade of 75, the minimum passing mark.

Because a learner’s Final Grade is computed from the average of Quarterly Grades, students with relatively low raw scores may still qualify for promotion to the next grade level.

Gatchalian warned that the practice could undermine efforts to improve learning outcomes by allowing students to move up without fully acquiring essential knowledge and skills.

“The practice could allow students to advance to the next grade without fully mastering key lessons,” Gatchalian said.

He emphasized that addressing the country’s education crisis requires an accurate and reliable measure of student performance.

“Kung nais nating matuldukan ang krisis sa edukasyon, kailangang tiyakin nating nasusukat natin sa tamang paraan ang kakayahan ng ating mga mag-aaral,” he added.

The senator’s call comes as DepEd implements an updated grading policy under DepEd Order No. 015, Series of 2026.

The revised policy introduces a new transmutation table for learners in Grades 4 to 12, as well as Grades 2 and 3, which continue to use numerical grading. Under the updated system, an Initial Grade ranging from 70 to 71.17 will be transmuted into the passing mark of 75 for School Year 2026-2027.

DepEd said the adjustment forms part of its transition to a zero-based grading system beginning in School Year 2027-2028, when reported grades will no longer be subjected to transmutation.

Gatchalian said the proposed Senate inquiry would help determine whether the grading system accurately reflects students’ academic performance and whether further reforms are needed to ensure learners attain grade-level competencies before being promoted.