PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said that he wants Filipino students to improve in the international rankings particularly in STEM subjects.

In his State of the Nation Address, Marcos stressed that students’ raw talent has always been there.

He pointed out that the country’s educational system must develop to refine that great pool of talent.

“We must do better in the international rankings especially when it comes to the so-called STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,” the President said.

“These skills and this knowledge are necessary for our young people to be able to compete in a highly technological and competitive world,” he added.

The results of the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment revealed that the Philippines scored an average of 350.0 at number 76 in the three subject areas compared to the 487 average of participating countries.

It ranked last among 79 participating countries and economies in reading and second to last in science and mathematics.