Education department to stop holding RAT next year

Friday, February 3, 2012

SECRETARY Armin Luistro of the Department of Education (DepEd) confirmed Thursday that regional achievement tests (RAT) will no longer be conducted starting next school year.

Luistro said the national achievement test (NAT) will be the only assessment tool to measure the performance of students and schools effective this June.

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Luistro in an order dated January 20, explained that stopping of RAT and similar assessment tools used by regions and divisions, is in line with the implementation of the K to 12 enhanced basic education program.

RAT covers subjects and school year levels not included in the NAT.

In March last year, children in Grades 3, 6 and second year high school took the NAT.

Children in other school year levels took the RAT, which covered eight subjects, except for Grades 1 and 2 pupils, whose test covered four subjects: Math, English, Pilipino and Hekasi.

This March, fourth year students in both public and private high schools will also take the NAT, along with students in Grades 3, 6 and second year high school.

The move is meant to measure the knowledge the students gained in the 10-year basic education cycle.