EDUCATION CRISIS | ‘Learning poverty’ exacerbated by lack of in-person classes, says group

August 9, 2022 , 03:09 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(August 9, 2022) – Educators were not surprised by the recent report on the alleged “learning poverty” among students but the government should take action to address the worrisome problem, an education group said on Tuesday.

Atty. Joseph Noel Estrada, the managing director of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), said the study released by the World Bank last July 22 should prompt sectors to implement changes before things turn for the worse.

“It’s really alarming and it really creates that urgency for all of us not only in the education sector but even for policymakers. (We need to increase) the overall support of the government,” said Estrada on One News’ Agenda. “I think the learning losses exacerbated because of the lack of in-person classes.”

The World Bank reported that nine in 10 students in the Philippines aged 10 are struggling with reading simple texts, indicating “learning poverty.” Among countries in East Asia and the Pacific, the Philippines had the highest level of learning poverty at 91% which is way more than the regional average of 34.5%.

“Learning deprivation” also reached a high level of 90%, according to the World Bank. In the study, enrolled children who failed to reach the minimum proficiency in reading are considered part of this category. It also noted that 5% of primary school-aged children are out of school.

“Reading is a gateway for learning as the child progresses through school and, conversely, an inability to read constrains opportunities for further learning. Reading proficiency is also critical for foundational learning in other subjects,” said the World Bank.

Estrada said the findings were not at all surprising because of the results of assessments conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines ranked the lowest among 79 countries in reading comprehension in the 2019 Programme for International Student Assessment.

He urged the government to take advantage of the return of face-to-face classes starting on August 22 to improve the delivery of education to students. Per the Department of Education, in-person classes must fully be implemented starting in November.

“We have the opportunity to augment the face-to-face classes with flexibility and inclusivity of education,” said Estrada. “We need government support for the education sector.”

Estrada also stressed the importance of private educational institutions in complementing the services provided by public schools. For it to work, he said the government should provide assistance to make private education more accessible to students, citing the voucher system as an example.

While private schools rely on tuition, he noted that raising fees would be the last resort of their members because this might be more detrimental to students and parents.

“We hope our policymakers can also look into that and introduce interventions on behalf of the parents and the students to help them cope with their education needs,” said Estrada.

(PM)

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.