‘Walang pasok’ in disaster-prone Philippines causes ‘significant learning losses’

MANILA, Philippines – Class suspensions and damage to schools during disasters are among the pressing issues confronting the country’s already challenged education sector.

In its Year Two Report released on Monday, January 27, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) sounded the alarm on the impact of severe weather, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes that plague the Philippines.

“Even if all school buildings were in optimal condition, DepEd (Department of Education) still faces annual losses of P17.98 billion due to the high hazard exposure,” EDCOM 2 said.

In the current school year (SY) 2024-2025, up to a month’s worth of school days have been lost due to disasters so far. This means “significant learning losses” that exacerbate the education crisis.

Luzon has been worst-hit, particularly the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), which lost 35 out of 80 school days, and Cagayan Valley, which lost 33. The Ilocos Region and Calabarzon have each lost 31, followed by Central Luzon (29); Bicol (22); Metro Manila (20); and Mimaropa (16).

Graphic from EDCOM 2 report

“Studies have underscored the profound consequence of such losses on learning, with student achievement at Grade 4 (for math and science) declining by up to 12%–14% of a standard deviation, or equivalent to half a year of learning,” EDCOM 2 said in its report.

In some schools, classes were suspended before they had even begun for SY 2024-2025. The opening of classes last July 29 was postponed in around 1,000 public schools due to the impact of the southwest monsoon or habagat, which was enhanced at the time by Typhoon Carina (Gaemi).

In SY 2023-2024, 42% of preschool to senior high school students in public schools — or 11 million learners — lost more than 20 school days. CAR lost 42 days, while Metro Manila lost 27.

“Despite efforts to recover these lost days through in-service training days, additional weekday hours, and Saturday classes, it is impossible to fully compensate for the time missed,” EDCOM 2 said.

Shifting to online learning during a disaster is easier said than done. DepEd data provided in October 2024 showed “only 37% of teachers have laptops, and just 17% of students have access to the gadgets necessary for online learning.”

EDCOM 2 also noted “increased psychological distress among displaced children after disasters, underscoring the need for post-disaster psychosocial interventions” for their “well-being and educational recovery.”

Challenging recovery

Recovery is difficult, too, when school buildings are flooded or damaged, and students have nowhere to return to.

For instance, from late October to mid-November 2024, the country saw a series of six tropical cyclones. The last three in that series — Typhoon Nika (Toraji), Super Typhoon Ofel (Usagi), and Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) — were reported to have caused over P1 billion in damage to nearly 800 classrooms.

Schools are also often used as evacuation centers.

EDCOM 2 urged policymakers to invest in climate-resilient structures and ensure that hazard maps are updated for proper planning.

“The school building design should be tailored to the specific vulnerabilities of each area rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, ensuring that they effectively address local risks,” the commission said.

Gaining access to disaster preparedness and recovery funds, however, is another problem cited in the EDCOM 2 report.

“DepEd’s disaster funds are insufficient and constrained by procedural limitations…. There have been appeals to the Commission on Audit to exempt cleanup funds from strict audits to facilitate quicker response times,” the commission said.

You can access the full Year Two Report here. – Rappler.com