THE SCORE IS NOT THE STORY

In an article published weeks ago, “No More Polished Scores” by Herman M. Lagon, delivers a sobering yet necessary critique of the Philippine education system, a system that has, for far too long, been content with the illusion of progress while quietly eroding the foundations of authentic learning. Lago’s words are not merely provocative but a demand to confront the uncomfortable truths that have been buried beneath the layers of bureaucratic gloss and performative metrics.

This rejoinder does not challenge Lagon’s assertions but amplifies them and situates them within the broader context of Republic Act 11899, a legislative response that, while promising, must be held accountable to the very realities Lagon so poignantly exposes.

Lagon is right: Learners are victims of a system obsessed with optics. Lagon’s lament over the dismal performance of Filipino learners in international assessments is not an exaggeration but a reflection of a system that has prioritized polished reports over meaningful learning. The enactment of RA 11899, which mandates independent and evidence-based assessments, is a step in the right direction, but its true value lies not in its existence, but in its implementation with integrity.

Learners deserve more than diagnostic data; instead, they deserve a system that responds to their needs, not one that uses their scores to justify policy inertia. RA 11899 must be wielded not as a tool for surveillance, but as a mirror for reform.

I cannot agree more when Lagon point out another sickening reality in the Philippine education system: teachers are silenced by bureaucracy and starved of agency. Lagon’s portrayal of teachers as overburdened and under-supported is tragically accurate. The promise of RA 11899 to streamline processes and empower educators must be realized beyond rhetoric. Teachers have long been forced to navigate a maze of compliance, often at the expense of creativity and care.

This law must not become another layer of abstraction but must be a mechanism for liberation, allowing teachers to reclaim their role as facilitators of critical thought and compassionate learning. Their voices must not only be heard but must be central to the reform agenda.

Another deafening truth that Lagon pointed out in his article is the fact that School Heads are always torn between mandate and moral dilemma. The article rightly calls out the paralysis of school leadership, caught between top-down mandates and bottom-up realities. RA 11899 offers a framework for decentralization and contextual decision-making, but it must be accompanied by genuine capacity-building and trust.

School heads must be empowered not just administratively, but ethically, to make decisions that reflect the lived experiences of their communities, not the expectations of distant offices. Reform must be rooted in proximity, not hierarchy.

Another undeniable fact in Lagon’s article is that parents are the forgotten stakeholders.

Perhaps the most damning silence in the system is the exclusion of parents from meaningful participation. Lagon’s critique implicitly underscores this absence, and RA 11899 must correct it with urgency and sincerity. Parents are not passive observers; they are the first educators, the daily motivators, and the emotional anchors of every learner.

The law must institutionalize transparent communication, participatory governance, and cultural responsiveness, ensuring that parents are not merely informed, but involved.

Reform must reckon with reality.

This rejoinder stands not in opposition to Lagon’s critique, but in solidarity with its spirit. “No More Polished Scores” is not an attack but an act of courage, a refusal to remain complicit in a system that has long traded substance for semblance.

Republic Act 11899 holds promise, but that promise must be fulfilled through vigilance, stakeholder engagement, and moral clarity. The time for polished narratives is over. The time for truthful transformation has begun.