THE PHILIPPINE Business for Education President Chito Salazar said that the international assessment tests are important, however, he pointed out that the main concern should be to help students “learn what they need to learn.”

One of the problems faced by the education sector is the country’s low rankings in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Salazar cited that the Vietnam government makes education its number one priority and added that the Philippine government should do the same and be committed to having a long-term reform on education.

“We talk a lot about roads, bridges, infrastructure, investment, trades. What we ignore—the most important infrastructure of our country, which is the human infrastructure,” he said.

Meanwhile, Salazar expressed his delight that Sen. Sonny Angara is the next Department of Education Secretary, saying that he is dedicated and has a “heart for education.”

He is also hopeful that Angara will be the education czar to connect the three agencies, namely, DepEd, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, saying that it is vital for these agencies to collaborate.

“We believe that maybe Senator Angara can be the czar, that he can be the person who coordinates the other two as well. I think that would show an important commitment to education,” Salazar said.