The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) released findings during its first year of operation on January 23, 2024.  

In its Year One Report entitled “Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education”, the Commission highlighted its findings in twelve out of its twenty-eight Priority Areas, following its first year of work. This is in line with its mandate under RA 11899 to report to Congress its accomplishments, findings, and recommendations periodically. 

One of the key priority areas mentioned in the report is Quality Assurance in higher education. As mentioned in the report, " Ensuring quality in higher education is a complex process that requires a blend of institutional mechanisms and strategies. These are designed to maintain high standards and foster ongoing improvement, ensuring that educational programs align with the needs of students, employers, and the broader society. Key approaches in higher education QA encompass both internal and external systems. These systems comprehensively review academic programs, teaching methods, and learning outcomes. They also include rigorous program and curriculum design, robust faculty development and evaluation processes, active solicitation of student feedback, encouragement of research and scholarship, and fostering partnerships with industry and other key stakeholders. Transparency and accountability in public reporting are also crucial." (pp 158-159)

You can download the full report here.

The Philippine Business for Education released the State of the Philippine Education Report for 2023.

In this report, PBEd has identified a critical need for transformative change in the country's education system, as outlined in the State of Education Report. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines faced a substantial learning crisis, with alarming statistics such as 9 out of 10 10-year-olds unable to read simple texts. Despite constitutional mandates for accessible and quality education, persistent issues include inequitable access, low completion rates, and poor performance in international assessments. The pandemic further exacerbated challenges, leading to school closures, learning gaps, and increased unemployment. In response, the government enacted EDCOM II, and PBEd initiated Citizens' EDCOM, aiming for a 180-degree turn in education reform. 

You can access the full report here.

In their policy note titled "The Learning Crisis in Philippine Education: An Overview," Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista and Mark Vincent Aranas emphasize the crucial need for Filipino learners to acquire 21st-century skills in order to navigate today's challenges successfully. They argue that the Philippine education system must shift its focus towards lifelong learning to achieve high-quality education outcomes and address the country's ongoing learning crisis. This policy note, published by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and presented to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), highlights the urgent need for educational reform in the Philippines. The full article can be found in the July - September issue of the PIDS newsletter which may be downloaded here. October 2023.

Despite some achievements in the Philippines' higher education sector, significant challenges persist, including issues related to low and inconsistent quality, underdeveloped research and innovation systems, access disparities, financial sustainability concerns, and inadequate employment outcomes. A policy note prepared for the Second Congressional Commission on Education by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) titled "The quest for quality and equity in the Philippine higher education: Where to from here?" highlights the sector's ongoing struggles in upholding quality standards and providing equitable access, even after implementing financial reforms, as indicated by both input and output indicators. The full article can be found in the July - September issue of the PIDS newsletter which may be downloaded here. October 2023.