The Philippines is set to undertake a profound education reform by ending the automatic promotion of students who lack reading and basic math. The measure aims to address the growing learning crisis and ensure that each level of learning has a clear mastery of fundamental skills before advancing to the next grade.
At the heart of this reform is the recommendation to eliminate mass promotion, a practice that allows students to pass even when they are not ready. Studies show that many students reach high levels without foundational literacy, causing them to struggle even further as they progress through the education system.
At the same time, it has also been proposed to phase out grade transmutation, where low raw scores become passing marks after conversion. While this is intended to make grading more equitable, it has been found to mask true performance and hinder early learning intervention for children who need help.
The plan emphasizes a shift to mastery-based assessment, where actual learning is more important than grade numbers. This strengthens the role of teachers' professional judgment, while removing institutional pressure to increase promotion rates at the expense of educational quality.
To make the reform humane and effective, it also advocates for strengthened remediation programs and targeted support for students who fall behind. In this way, evaluation becomes a path not to punishment, but to the right funding, training, and support—a step toward a stronger and more inclusive education system for the country.
