NEWS RELEASE||𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘇𝗮: 𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀’ 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗔) 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗿. 𝗥𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗨. 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘇𝗮.

Speaking during the PISA Stakeholders’ Appreciation Program held September 29 at Mabe’s Savory Place here, Mendoza recognized the collective efforts of education stakeholders who supported the country’s PISA participation, particularly those in Caraga who contributed to the assessment preparations.

Under the direction of DepEd Caraga Regional Director Dr. Allan G. Farnazo, CESO III, and hosted by the DepEd Schools Division Office of Agusan del Sur, the gathering brought together education leaders, local government personnel, school representatives, and other private stakeholders from Agusan del Norte, Butuan City, Agusan del Sur, Bislig, Siargao, Surigao del Sur-Tandag, and other Schools Division Offices across the region.

𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀

Mendoza highlighted the Philippines’ improved performance in all three core PISA domains, with scores increasing by 20 points in reading, 16 points in mathematics, and 17 points in science compared with PISA 2022.

He described the results as a significant step forward for Philippine basic education and noted that the country recorded its highest PISA scores since it first participated in the international assessment.

For Mendoza, however, the results are not an endpoint.

“This is just the beginning,” he emphasized, underscoring the need to sustain the gains while addressing the learning needs of Filipino learners who continue to require stronger support.

He also cited the country’s performance in computational problem solving, saying the results point to the potential of Filipino learners to think critically, solve unfamiliar problems, and adapt to emerging challenges.

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝘆

While technology and artificial intelligence are increasingly shaping education, Mendoza stressed that these tools must complement, rather than replace, strong foundational learning.

He particularly underscored the importance of reading, noting that improvements in reading performance provide an important foundation for learning across subjects and for learners’ ability to engage with increasingly complex information.

He called on education stakeholders to continue supporting learners who struggle with foundational skills while ensuring that teachers and schools are provided with the resources and support they need.

Mendoza also emphasized that technology should ultimately serve pedagogy and learning, rather than become an end in itself.

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

Mendoza likewise highlighted decentralization as an important reform in education governance, stressing that while national leadership provides direction, regional, division, school, and local leaders are closest to learners and are therefore in a position to respond to their specific needs.

He credited not only DepEd officials but also school heads, teachers, testing teams, parents, students, local government officials, and communities for the successful implementation of the PISA preparations.

“The success of PISA is not only the success of DepEd,” Mendoza said, emphasizing that the achievement reflects the collective contribution of stakeholders at different levels.

He urged education leaders to use assessment results to identify learners who need additional support, determine which interventions are effective, and ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Mendoza also discussed the role of PISA for Schools in helping schools and education leaders use assessment as a diagnostic tool.

Unlike the main PISA assessment, which provides an international picture of how education systems perform, PISA for Schools can provide more frequent information that schools can use to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

He emphasized that the purpose is not to rank schools, divisions, or regions, but to help educators better understand their learners and improve support and instruction.

Mendoza likewise highlighted Project Bukas, DepEd’s initiative to make education data and learning outcomes more accessible at increasingly granular levels. He encouraged teachers, school leaders, parents, and other stakeholders to use available data to better understand learning needs.

He urged regional and division teams, school heads, and assessment coordinators to conduct assessments carefully and use the resulting information to improve learner support rather than treat assessment as an exercise solely for future international rankings.

Mendoza said assessment data can also help government determine where resources are most needed, particularly in areas such as reading, mathematics, science, and the competencies required in a rapidly changing technological environment.

He concluded by calling on DepEd to remain a “humble learning organization,” emphasizing that educators themselves must continue learning and adapting, particularly as artificial intelligence and other technologies reshape the education landscape.

The PISA Stakeholders’ Appreciation Program served as a recognition of the collective efforts behind the country’s PISA participation while reinforcing the need to translate assessment results into sustained action for Filipino learners.

By: The Public Affairs Unit

DepEd Caraga

𝗘𝗡𝗗

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph

#DepEdPhilippines #PISA2025 #PISA #EducationPH #BasicEducation #PhilippineEducation #DepEdCaraga #CaragaRegion #EducationForAll #LearningOutcomes #FoundationalLearning #EducationReform #PISAForSchools #ProjectBukas #EducationStakeholders #CaragaGold

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