The release of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2024 results offers a sobering reminder that the region’s learning crisis is far from over. While there are modest signs of improvement in mathematics across Southeast Asia, progress in reading has largely stalled. For the Philippines, the findings point to persistent weaknesses -- and widening inequalities -- that demand urgent, targeted action.
Education is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of national development. Foundational skills in reading and mathematics shape not only children’s success in school, but also their future participation in the economy and society. When these skills are not firmly established in the early grades, learning gaps tend to compound, limiting opportunities well beyond the classroom.
SEA-PLM assesses reading, writing and mathematical literacy among Grade 5 students across six Southeast Asian countries. In 2024, a key technical change was introduced: the benchmark for minimum proficiency was recalibrated from Band 6 to Band 5. Students reaching Band 5 and above are now considered to meet the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goal indicator for learning outcomes at the end of primary education (SDG 4.1.1b).
Even under this revised benchmark, the results for the Philippines remain deeply concerning.
Across participating countries, 53 percent of Grade 5 students meet the minimum proficiency level in reading. In the Philippines, only 27 percent do so -- an improvement from 22 percent in 2019, but still leaving nearly three out of four children below the expected level. While the share of higher-performing students has increased slightly, the proportion of learners in the lowest bands has barely changed, suggesting that learning opportunities are becoming more unequal rather than more inclusive.
The picture is similar in mathematics. Regionally, 66 percent of students meet the minimum proficiency standard. In the Philippines, only 46 percent do -- up from 35 percent in 2019, yet still below the majority threshold. Alarmingly, the proportion of students in the very lowest proficiency band has remained unchanged since 2019, indicating that the most vulnerable learners are not benefiting from overall gains.
Perhaps the most troubling message of SEA-PLM 2024 lies beneath the averages. Learning gaps remain stark and persistent. Students from low-income households, rural communities and disaster-prone areas continue to lag far behind their more advantaged peers. The pandemic did not create these inequalities, but it clearly magnified existing structural weaknesses -- unequal access to learning resources, uneven teacher deployment, and disparities in school leadership and support.
For the Philippines, a country regularly affected by typhoons, floods and other climate-related shocks, learning recovery cannot be treated as a uniform national process. Equity-focused interventions will be essential if recovery efforts are to reach those children who have lost the most.
While the SEA-PLM 2024 report provides a valuable descriptive overview of learning outcomes, it also highlights a critical gap: we still know too little about why some schools and students perform better than others. Which school-level factors matter most? How much do teacher qualifications, instructional practices, language of instruction, or parental engagement contribute to learning success?
Answering these questions requires deeper, more sophisticated analysis of the rich SEA-PLM data -- going beyond national averages and headline indicators. Without this, education reforms risk remaining well-intentioned but blunt, unable to address the root causes of underperformance.
As Southeast Asian countries work to rebuild more resilient and equitable education systems, measurement alone is not enough. What matters now is how seriously governments, researchers and development partners engage with the data -- and how boldly they translate evidence into targeted action. For the Philippines, the opportunity remains open. The data is there. The question is whether it will be used to its full potential.
By Dr. Dieter Walz