The National Achievement Test in the Philippines

There is information to be gained from data. Tests in schools can be informative. Scores
of students provide a quick glimpse of the current state of education. Thus, it is useful to
have these numbers. These numbers may not tell everything in detail with high accuracy.
Nevertheless, test results allow for a useful perspective. The National Achievement Test
administered by the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines, a set of
standardized tests addressing the major subjects taught in school, is an example. These
tests are given to Grade 3 where students are assessed in both English and Filipino (These
two subjects comprise two thirds of the exam) and Math and Science (These two account
for the remaining one third). A different set of tests is given to Grade 6 pupils where each
of the following 5 subjects is assigned 40 items: (Science, Math, English, Filipino and
Social Studies). Another set is administered to fourth year high school students (This is
currently the last year of basic education in the Philippines since K+12 has not been
implemented yet for the additional two years in high school). The scores in these exams
are reported as percentage of items correctly answered. A mean percentage score (MPS)
of 75 percent is currently set as the goal of the DepEd. The following are data from a
presentation made by the National Education Testing and Research Center, entitled "NAT
Overview and 2012 Test Results".

The numbers for the overall

MPS for the school year 20112012 are as follows:

Grade 3: 57.0%
Grade 6: 66.8%
High School: 48.9%

The goal of 75% seems elusive at this point. The presentation made by the National
Education Testing and Research Center also provides some analysis and I would like to
highlight the following. In my opinion, these may be significant:
For Grade 3: National Average : 57.0%
Schools that are outside the town proper have an MPS of 61.4%

Schools were Pupil-Textbook Ratio in English Grammar is 1:1 have an MPS

of 62.1%

Schools that have individual reading have an MPS of 59.7%

Schools where quizzes are regularly given have an MPS of 60.3%

For Grade 6: National Average: 66.8%

Schools that do not have computer laboratories have an MPS of 79.3%

Schools that have adequate textbooks in Math have an MPS of 73.0%

Schools where teachers discuss the lesson the whole period (chalk-talk method),
then ask questions if there is remaining time have an MPS of 67.7%

Schools where quizzes are regularly given have an MPS of 68.4%

For High School: National Average: 48.9%

Schools where pupils are not engaged in labor have an MPS of 51.9%

Schools where teachers present first the concept/theory followed by a variety of

examples and/or situational roles and then application concept have an MPS of 52.3% in
Science (to be compared with the national average of 40.5%). A similar correlation is
found in Math and English.

In addition, the following factors have also been found to correlate positively with MPS:
Single shift schools

TEEP (This was discussed in a previous article, where focus is given on providing
resources (classrooms, textbooks, teacher training) in the early years of education) This
correlation is observed even with the high school scores, clearly demonstrating the long
term effects of the program.
The above is not surprising as these items have been pointed out in numerous posts in this
blog. These are factors that influence the quality of education in schools. Even the fact
that giving quizzes helps has been mentioned in this blog.

Adding Tests to Enhance Learning

Learning and the "Testing Effect": Research Inside Classrooms

The effectiveness of direct instruction has also been highlighted in the article "Best
Evidence Encyclopedia": Proven Programs in Basic Education. Even the superiority of
textbooks over online material has been discussed in "Reading: On-Screen Versus InPrint".

Although a decade has passed and 75% is still not within reach, it needs to be pointed out
that there are pockets of excellence in Philippine basic education. These are schools that
seem to be doing great. An example comes from the schools in Bangui, Ilocos Norte:

Bangui Central Elementary School, MPS: 93.0%

Bangui National High School, MPS: 73.1%

75 percent is indeed within reach. It is not impossible.

National achievement test: also a

teachers methodology of their
competence and performance
APRIL 19, 2013 by BICOLMAIL in TOP STORIES with 0 COMMENTS
By Ronnie T. Cailao
Teacher I of Los Angeles Elementary School, Buhi, Camarines Sur
The ever deteriorating quality of education in the Philippines had been the major and
continuous concern of the government. This observation was amplified by studies
conducted by the USAID in year 2007 and even by the Department of Education (DepEd)
through the conduct of the National Diagnostic Test and the National Achievement Test.
As such, several measures had been adopted by the said Department to improve and
address such tribulations in the system. To name a few, we have the Mother Tongue
Based educational system as medium of instruction in early education and the K-12.
These measures are still infants in the system and still undergoing evaluation to prove its
effectiveness while being piloted already in the school early this year.
Moreover, there have been legislations and executive measures also that are continuously
being enacted or proposed to at least bolster those existing measures that are being
implemented already by the DepEd. Some measures aim to provide a performance based
accountability that is centered on advancing the learning and teaching with the aim and
view of furnishing students with a solid foundation in academics.
As observed, in all of these undertaking of the government, the teachers play a big role
because it boils down to the way they have imparted their knowledge and skills
effectively in the accomplishment of the objective. One of the tools that measures the
efficiency and mastery of teachers in their own field is the results of the National
Achievement test, National Diagnostic Test, and other aptitude tests wherein the students
go through an examination of their competencies in basic elementary and high school
subjects. Students performances in the said examination can at a certain degree be
ascribed to the teacher who handles them and of course to the ability of the students to
comprehend and/or analyze what are being taught to them.
Teachers glaringly assume full responsibility and accountability in molding students to
learn and as their level of competencies are also being measured by the students
performance in any of the mandatory tests being catered by the DepEd.