SENATOR Win Gatchalian on Saturday stressed the assessment of learners should focus not only on the competencies they are acquiring, but also in areas where they are struggling.

Gatchalian said this would help schools target learners in rolling out remedial programs to address learning gaps and losses.

He even warned learners who proceed to the next grade level without receiving interventions in areas where they are weak will continue underperforming.

Earlier, Gatchalian said ‘no fail policy’ in schools may do more harm than good to the academic performance of learners.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture emphasized that the goal of continuing education, even amidst challenging conditions brought about by the Covid19 pandemic, is to ensure the country’s more than 25 million learners in the basic education sector are learning enough and will be adequately prepared for their next level of schooling.

Gatchalian recalled that K to 12 learners are already struggling in mastering basic competencies before the pandemic, recalling the results of three international large scale assessments: the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment, the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics 2019, and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2019.

Filipino learners trailed behind their global counterparts in all three assessments.