SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian said schools across the country should learn the best practices of Baguio City and the Cordillera Administrative Region when it comes to boosting learners’ English proficiency.

According to the 2023 English Proficiency Index by international education company EF Education First, Baguio City emerged as the top English-speaking and listening city in the Philippines, garnering a score of 619.

CAR, where Baguio is located, garnered a score of 616 and topped the English-speaking and -listening regions in the Philippines.

“Binabati ko ang ating mga mag-aaral at mga guro sa Baguio at CAR dahil sa naging magandang performance nila sa nagdaang international assessments. Marami tayong pwedeng matutunan sa kanila upang iangat ang performance ng mga mag-aaral sa iba’t bang panig ng bansa pagdating sa English proficiency, pati na rin sa pagbabasa,” said Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

CAR is also among the top-performing regions in the 2022 round of the Programme for International Student Assessment.

Alongside the National Capital Region and Region 4A, CAR has one of the largest shares of students who have achieved the minimum proficiency in reading.

The 2022 PISA results reveal that two out of five students in CAR achieved at least the minimum proficiency in reading.

Gatchalian emphasized that international assessments such as the 2023 English Proficiency Index and the latest round of PISA present opportunities to learn the best practices from top-performing regions.

The lawmaker added that the best practices can be in the areas of collaboration between local government units and DepEd regions and divisions.

Moving forward, Gatchalian said that data from PISA will help the Second Congressional Commission on Education and the Senate Committee on Basic Education in proposing reforms to improve learners’ performance and reverse the country’s education crisis.