A FILIPINO international academic competition organizer believes the quality of education in the Philippines is not deteriorating, contrary to what is perceived by many.
During an interview at the sidelines of International Champions in Education's (ICE) Philippine International Math and Science Olympics (Pimso) on March 1, 2026, at Dusit Thani Hotel Davao, Robert D. Fordan, president and CEO of ICE, said that he was amazed at how the Filipino students performed in international academic competitions.
"I heard it on the news that the education system in the Philippines is low, but I don't believe so, because in different competitions, they (Filipino students) really excel. You look at now, most of our winners and topnotchers come from the Philippines," now Bangkok-based Fordan said, emphasizing that other countries also send their best students to the academic competition, yet Filipino students stood out against them.
"Our students really excel in Math and Science, that's why I believe our education system is quite good already," he added.
A total of 600 students from the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Hong Kong, Macau, and Uzbekistan vied for trophies and medals across various categories and levels in the Pimso.
Contradicting reality
While Fordan expressed confidence in Filipino students’ performance in global competitions, multiple large-scale assessments and studies have raised concerns about systemic learning gaps in the Philippines.
One of the most cited indicators is the country’s performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
In the 2018 PISA results, the Philippines ranked among the lowest participating countries in reading, mathematics, and science.
The 2022 PISA cycle showed some improvements in mathematics and science scores, but Filipino students still performed significantly below the OECD average, with a large proportion classified as low performers in foundational skills.
Experts note that weak reading comprehension remains a major challenge, affecting performance across subjects.
Similarly, results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) have historically placed Filipino learners near the bottom in mathematics and science achievement, particularly at the Grade 4 level.
These international benchmarks are often used by policymakers and researchers to evaluate comparative education quality and student preparedness.
The Department of Education (DepEd) itself has acknowledged learning losses and has rolled out recovery programs such as the National Learning Recovery Program to address literacy and numeracy gaps.
DepEd officials have cited various reasons, such as overcrowded classrooms, teacher workload, insufficient learning materials, and socio-economic disparities, as persistent structural challenges affecting education's quality.
Moreover, Pimso is an annual international competition that started in 2020. It is designed for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 (or A-Levels) and aims to promote excellence in Mathematics and Science through two stages: National Rounds and International Finals.
The Pimso Gala Night and Awarding Ceremonies were the first event by ICE to be held in Davao City. CEA