Angara says DepEd to focus on sustaining reforms after improvement in int’l assessment

September 12, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the improvement in the reading, mathematics and science scores of Filipino students based on the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) does not mean his work is done.

Angara said that while the results are good, the DepEd has to focus on expanding and accelerating the reforms that have benefited Filipino students.

He also said he is happy with the cooperation and support of the teachers, the school leaders, lawmakers, education partners, businesses, and other sectors for the DepEd’s efforts to improve the learning environment.

The DepEd would continue to strengthen literacy, numeracy, and foundational learning to serve as a strong foundation for a better future, he added.

In the 2025 PISA, the Philippines recorded a score of 373 in science, 371 in mathematics and 367 in reading, representing an increase of 17, 16 and 20 points from the 2022 assessment.

Angara said that if every 15-year-old Filipino reaches Level 2 proficiency in PISA, or the baseline level of proficiency, it could add an estimated $14 trillion to the economy over their working lives.