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The Department of Education (DepEd) has stood firm on the awards system for elementary and high schools under the K to 12 basic education program. This awards system aims to reduce the competitive pressure among students, encouraging them to focus on personal academic growth instead. “This kind of awards system highly encourages our learners to strive. It is more inclusive because it is not limited to just the top 10 in the class,” stated DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas in a mix of English and Filipino during a radio interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo.
Controversy Surrounding the Awards System
Bringas addressed the ongoing social media debates criticizing the widespread distribution of academic awards during this graduation and moving-up season for the end of School Year 2023-2024. Critics have voiced concerns, especially in light of the poor performance of Filipino students in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The PISA, developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), measures 15-year-olds’ reading, mathematics, and science abilities. The latest results revealed that Filipino students are five to six years behind their international peers in these competencies.
Discrepancy Between Local and International Assessments
“PISA is using different parameters when it comes to determining the scores of the countries. We are also using different parameters for school awards and recognition based on (the students’) achievements. So, we cannot compare the results of classroom performances (of students) with that of (their performances) in international large-scale assessments,” Bringas clarified. The PISA results placed the Philippines 76th out of 81 countries, deficient in reading comprehension, mathematics, and science, continuing its bottom-tier trend since it first participated in 2018.
Changes in the Awards System Since K-12 Implementation
Implemented since the K-12 program’s launch in 2016, the current awards system has abolished the traditional valedictorian, salutatorian, and honorable mention distinctions. Instead, students achieving an average grade of 90 to 94 are awarded “with honors,” those with 95 to 97 receive “with high honors,” and students scoring 98 to 100 are recognized “with highest honors.” “In the past, when we have the valedictorian and salutatorian (distinctions), the learners are competing with other learners, but with the new grading system, or awards system, you are competing with yourself, and if you meet the (grade) standards then you will be recognized,” Bringas highlighted.
Call for More Defined Grading Standards
However, the Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) has called for a review of the current awards system to develop more uniform and defined grading standards. TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas shared experiences of handling transferee students who lagged behind in learning competencies despite having good grades from previous schools. “Our teachers, and even our schools, usually give considerations or ease their grading standards for students who are diligent in their studies,” Basas stated in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
Subjectivity in Grading and the Need for Standardization
Basas explained that exam scores and subjective outputs such as art projects, performances, and oral communication skills often influence grades. “The problem, currently, is that every locality, every school has varying standards (of grading the students). Our teachers’ appreciation of the students’ performances also varies,” he pointed out. This inconsistency underscores the need for standardized grading criteria to ensure fair and objective assessment of student performance across different schools.
In summary, while the current awards system under the K to 12 program aims to foster a more inclusive and self-competitive academic environment, there are calls for refining and standardizing grading practices to ensure fairness and consistency across the education system. The debate continues as stakeholders seek the best approach to recognize and nurture Filipino children’s academic achievements.
