Public Disclosure Authorized Philippine Basic Education System: Strengthening Effective Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic Public Disclosure Authorized and beyond Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Philippines COVID-19 Monitoring Survey Policy Notes | May 2021 wbg.org/philippines/covidmonitor Executive Summary School closures and learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic can have a long-term negative impact on the current cohort of school children. Global evidence from past health and disaster-related emergencies show that the impact extends well beyond the period of the disaster or pandemic. Learning poverty—the share of 10-year-old children who cannot read and understand a simple story—for the Philippines was estimated at 69.5 percent in 2019 and is expected to rise further due to the pandemic. School closures and long-term learning loss are also likely to affect the children’s economic potential and productivity in adulthood, thus undermining the country’s competitiveness. It is estimated that due to learning losses, an average annual earning per student will decrease by $893-1,137 (in 2017 PPP$) or a loss of present value of individual lifetime earnings by $16,287-20,752 (in 2017 PPP$).1 Key short-term impacts include: Overall basic education enrollment was six percent lower this year than last year, placing additional 1.6 million students out of school; Children who are enrolled face many challenges to effective learning under the current distance learning modality; Such challenges are greater for lower income households who have limited resources for better access; There is high demand for returning to in-person classes, and such demand is higher for lower income households and women; and Fears for viruses are still of concern among some households in the return to school. § This note was prepared by Yoonyoung Cho, Sachiko Kataoka, and Sharon Piza. The team appreciates Toby Linden, Ronald Mutasa, and Clarissa David for great comments and guidance. Special thanks go to Moira Enerva for her excellent support. Photos by Adrienne Babiera Mendoza. 1 Azevedo and Cloutier, forthcoming, Learning in the time of COVID. 1 Based on these findings, the note highlights the following policy options: There is an urgent need to offer in-person schooling for children whose parents want it, though this should remain optional for now given the rampant fear of the virus. Delivery of distance learning must be improved–by strengthening communication between teachers and students, engaging parents/guardians actively in education, improving the quality of paper modules, providing materials for early graders in local languages, and enhancing awareness of the complementary learning platforms. Re-enrollment campaigns and provision of alternative learning options can be widely carried out to address the concern that dropouts this year might not return to formal education given the extended period of school closure. High-impact learning recovery programs are needed. Given the huge learning loss, it is essential to implement learning recovery programs based on assessments of individual students’ learning levels. These programs will be needed for virtually all students, whether they are offered in-person schooling or continuing to learn remotely. Note: This policy brief is based primarily on two nationwide surveys that provided a snapshot of the education conditions and their impact on children: the High Frequency Monitoring (HFM) Household Survey carried out in December 2020; and the COVID-19 Low Income Household Panel and Economic (HOPE) Survey targeting poor and near-poor households carried out in October 2020. 2 As of early May 2021, the Philippines is one of Global evidence from past health and only two countries in the East Asia and the disaster-related emergencies suggest that the Pacific (EAP) Region that is yet to resume impact of school closures on learning loss ex- in-person classes since the beginning of the tends well beyond the period of the disaster or COVID-19 pandemic. Some countries in the region pandemic. The longer the school closure gets, such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR have the bigger and less reversible learning losses will had limited COVID-19 cases, and their school be. Early evidence shows that COVID-19 will slow closures have been limited. Others that are still down the goal of lowering learning poverty—which coping with the pandemic have gradually and is defined as the percentage of 10-year-old chil- intermittently resumed in-person classes, with dren who cannot read and understand a simple careful safety measures in place to minimize the story—by at least half the global rate by 2030.3 impact of prolonged school closures and distance Pre-COVID, it was estimated that the global learning on children. In the Philippines, which has learning poverty would go down from 53 percent been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2015 to 27 percent by 2030; post-COVID, it is bears the second largest burden of cumulative 43 percent by 2030.4 Learning poverty for the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the EAP region,2 the Philippines was estimated at 69.5 percent in 2019 government has rolled out various public health based on TIMSS (Trends in International measures, including school closures. The Mathematics and Science Study) 2003 Department of Education (DepEd) originally outcomes.5 The rate will be updated soon to planned to reopen schools via distance learning reflect more recent cross-national assessment on August 24, 2020 but moved the reopening data and is expected to be considerably higher. to October 5, 2020. Reasons for the deferment With the impact of COVID-19, learning poverty included challenges in the distribution of learning could further increase. Furthermore, according to materials, questions regarding the quality of the the World Bank’s simulation analysis of learning modules, and strong reservations from losses, it is estimated that Learning-Adjusted practitioners in the education sector. Few Years of Schooling (LAYS) will go down from 7.5 education-related activities took place in the years to 5.7-6.1 years (by 1.4-1.7 years), and the country for nearly seven months between March Harmonized Test Scores from 362 to 316-325.6 and October 2020. Since early October, LAYS adjusts the quantity of schooling (in terms of children have been receiving education via years) by taking into account its quality distance learning. To support distance learning, (defined as learning)7. The Harmonized Test Scores the DepEd developed multiple learning delivery measure how much children learn in school based modalities, including the online platform on the countries’ relative performance on interna- Commons, TV and radio programs, SMS, and tional student assessments.8 paper-based self-learning modules. 2 As of April 7, 2021, there have been 819,614 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 646,404 have recovered. There have been more than 14,000 confirmed deaths. The country remains vulnerable to new variants and waves of COVID-19 infection, despite the declining trend in newly confirmed cases. 3 Global Alliance to Monitor Learning. http://gaml.uis.unesco.org/learning-poverty/. 4 World Bank estimates. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education/brief/learning-poverty. 5 World Bank estimates. 6 Azevedo and Cloutier, forthcoming, Learning in the time of COVID. 7 LAYS combines quantity and quality of schooling into a single easy-to-understand metric of progress. It is calculated by multiplying the estimates of expected years of school by the ratio of most recent harmonized test scores to 625. This adjustment is important because recent research shows that students who have completed the same number of years of school often have vastly different learning outcomes across different countries (Filmer et al. 2018. Learning-Adjusted Years of Schooling (LAYS) Defining a New Macro Measure of Education. Policy Research Working Paper 8591. Background Paper to the 2019 World Development Report. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/243261538075151093/Learning-Adjusted-Years-of-Schooling-LAYS-Defining-A-New-Macro-Measure-of- Education). 8 The benchmark international student assessments include TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), PISA (Programme for Internation- al Student Assessment), PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), and other regional assessments. They are measured in TIMSS-equivalent units, where 300 is minimal attainment and 625 is advanced attainment. Harmonized Test Scores is a component of the Human Capital Index. (For the detailed methodology, see Patrinos and Angrist. 2018. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/390321538076747773/Global-Dataset-on-Education-Quality-A-Re- 3 view-and-Update-2000-2019). The cost of school closures could also result in short-term and long-term economic and social losses. In the short-run, household members who need to support children in distance learning may face immediate economic losses. Most children, particularly younger ones, need adult supervision during distance learning. Parents report that they are the key assistants in distance learning (40 percent), followed by grandparents (30 percent) and relatives.9 Among those adults, women are far more likely to assist children than men and thereby bear the brunt of care responsibilities: this may have implications on their participation and productivity in economic activities.10 In the long run, it is estimated that an average annual earning per student will decrease by $893-1,137 (in 2017 PPP$) or a loss of present value of individual lifetime earnings by $16,287-20,752 (in 2017 PPP$). This policy note analyzes key issues related to the current schooling and learning situation and proposes policy options to prepare for in-person schooling when this is possible. Two nationwide surveys in the Philippines provide a snapshot of the conditions of education in the country: the High Frequency Monitoring (HFM) Household Survey carried out in December 202011 and the COVID-19 Low Income Household Panel and Economic (HOPE) Survey targeting poor and near-poor households carried out in October 2020.12 The key issues emerging from these data and proposed policy recommendations are summarized as follows: 9 Joint World Bank-NEDA-DOF High Frequency Monitoring (HFM) Survey round 2 carried out in December 2020. 10 Low Income Household Panel and Economic (HOPE) Survey in October 2020. 11 Joint World Bank-NEDA-DOF High Frequency Monitoring (HFM) Survey round 2. 12 Cho, Y., D. Johnson, J. Avalos, Y. Kawasoe, R. Rodriguez. 2021. “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Low Income Households in the Philippines: Impending 4 Human Capital Crisis,” COVID-19 Low Income HOPE Survey Note No.3, World Bank. Key Issues Current Situation Policy Recommendations 1. Children not Overall enrollment in formal basic Conduct re-enrollment and re-engagement engaged in any education is about five percent lower than promotions and campaigns learning activity in the last year; Need to monitor Provide remedial programs for returnees attendance and engagement in learning Provide alternative learning options for non-returnees 2. Limited Challenges of distance learning include low Support teachers to prioritize pedagogical effectiveness of take-up due to limited access to gadgets interaction with students by reducing distance learning and internet, poor quality materials, limited administrative workload availability of materials in local languages; Strengthen monitoring of students’ children’s inability to focus, and engagement in distance learning psychological stress; Challenges are greater for poorer income households and younger Enhance the quality and quantity of children, with the conditions having large paper-based modules and enhance regional variations awareness of available learning modalities Support teachers to provide accelerated catch-up programs for students Ensure students’ overall well-being 3. Significant, but Majority of students and parents support Explore local solutions together with local uneven demand for the resumption of in-person classes, but government units and communities, with in-person classes some fear it clear set of priorities, criteria, options, health protocols, and options for different needs Enhance hygiene and safety and define criteria and priority for in-person classes Prioritize younger children for in-person classes 4. Long-term Pre-COVID structural weaknesses Monitor learning outcomes learning losses will remain Further streamline the most essential learning competencies (MELC) to focus the curriculum on foundational topics and subjects Provide learning recovery programs, taking advantage of technology and innovative teaching practices Continue reform on key structural challenges 5 Issue 1. Children not engaged in any Issue 2. Limited effectiveness learning activity of distance learning Overall enrollment in formal basic education Enrollment does not necessarily guarantee is about five percent lower than in the last effective learning, and there are significant year, and dropouts this year might not return challenges in distance learning. The HFM to formal education given the extended period survey asked household members the top three of school closure. DepEd’s data show that as barriers to effective learning. Figure 1 presents of mid-January 2021, the total enrollment in the barriers in order of the first ranked formal basic education (K-12) in school year barrier. Limited access to gadgets and (SY) 2020-21 was 94.2 percent of the internet, the child’s inability to focus, and enrollment level in SY 2019-20.13 A stress due to COVID-19 were among the non-negligible share of households did not major barriers to effective learning.15 Despite enroll their children due to various concerns, the availability of various modalities, 8 in 10 including risks associated with the virus, costs households with enrolled children used of education, and ineffective remote learning. paper-based modules as a primary modality In terms of the enrollment rate, the HFM for distance learning. Paper-based modules survey shows 9 in 10 households with can be as effective as other modalities if school-aged children had at least one child properly used, but students may find using enrolled, with the poorest quintile presenting a them more difficult than other modules in the higher enrollment rate (94.5 percent) than the absence of close supervision by teachers and national average (91.0 percent). This relatively peers and/or support from household higher enrollment rate among the poor was members. Limited use of other modalities may also observed in the HOPE Survey where 97.3 also be due to the lack of access to gadgets percent of school-aged children were enrolled and internet among teachers. in school, only slightly lower than the rate of the previous academic year (98.8 percent).14 The enrollment rate among beneficiary households of the country’s flagship safety net, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), marginally lagged behind the overall poor. 13 DepEd data presented at the 8th Education Forum on January 29, 2001. They include enrollments in public and private primary and secondary schools, state universities and colleges, but excludes those in Philippines schools overseas and the alternative learning system. 14 The COVID-19 Low Income Household Panel and Economic (HOPE) Survey, conducted in October 2020. See Cho, Y., D. Johnson, J. Avalos, Y. Kawasoe, R. Rodri- guez. 2021. “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Low Income Households in the Philippines: Impending Human Capital Crisis,” COVID-19 Low Income HOPE Survey Note No.3, World Bank. 6 15 World Bank. 2021. Impacts of COVID-19 on Households in the Philippines: Results from the Philippines COVID-19 Households Survey Round 2 – December 2020. Fig 1: Top 3 Barriers to Effective Learning 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 learning modules effectively without a lot L ck of cc ss of help from their household members. to d ts Child un bl to focus on r mot For instance, it was reported that only l rnin without dult sup rvision about 10 percent of students ages 6-8 Insuffici nt or no mobil lo d / int rn t cc ss were able to use the modules on their Str ss du to COVID-19 own, and that students in this age group Oth r f mil m mb rs r un bl to support du to l ck of knowl d required an average 3-4 hours’ help per of subj cts child is stud in day amounting to 75 to 100 percent of No ph sic l sp c to us for stud in their total study hours. Further, much of Oth r f mil m mb rs r un bl to support du to l ck of knowl d the time they spent on education bout onlin cl ss s Child do s not h v nou h activities involved no interaction with teachers or peers. This is a serious tim du to chor s or work Oth r f mil m mb rs r un bl No. 1 b rri r to support du to l ck of tim concern given the well-established Oth r f mil m mb rs c nnot support No. 2 b rri r in th lo istics of pickin nd droppin off m t ri ls from th school evidence that the younger ones are most No. 3 b rri r No qui t pl c for in need of direct interaction with th child to stud teachers and peers because they Oth rs generally cannot engage in self- learning effectively and they need to Source: World Bank. 2021. The Philippines COVID-19 Households Survey develop social skills. Round 2 – December 2020. The challenges in distance learning are Awareness of DepEd’s TV and radio more prominent among poorer programming and Commons is low, and households. Only 40 percent of even among the households who knew households in the bottom quintile of about these platforms, utilization has income distribution have internet access, not been high. In the HOPE survey, only which is a prerequisite for online learning. 35 percent of low-income households Hence, paper-based modules were used reported awareness of DepEd’s TV, 27 more widely among poorer households. percent of radio, and 21 percent of Even among the richest quintile Commons (online platform). The households, only 70 percent have utilization of these platforms was even internet access and only about 45 lower, with 10 percent of households percent used online live classes as a using TV, 8 percent using radio, and 3 primary modality. Also, three quarters percent using Commons. Given that over of poor and near-poor households in the 70 percent of households reported HOPE survey reported owning at least owning a TV at home, the low utilization one smartphone, but students from may suggest lack of promotions of the these households spent only an average programs, low quality and relevance of 37 minutes per school day studying of the programs, conflicting schedules online using a phone. Difficulties in among siblings or with other school internet access, insufficient internet activities, among others. Altogether, ‘load’ or mobile data allocation, or many enrolled students are not fully sharing the gadget with multiple engaged in learning. Of particular household members were part of concern is that relatively little the challenges. programming and material is in local languages even under the normal circumstances and more so under the Younger learners face the biggest current situations, which makes it much challenges under the current distance harder for parents and other adult learning modality due to their inability members of the household to help their to engage effectively in self-learning. children learn. The HOPE survey shows that younger children (<11) are unable to use distance 7 Most schools across the country Moreover, female respondents are more likely distributed self-learning modules, but to report their support than male respondents schools in Luzon tend to reach out to with statistically significant difference (68 parents to monitor students’ learning percent vs. 63 percent). DepEd’s survey also progress much more than the schools in found that students are the strongest sup- Visayas and Mindanao. The HOPE porters of the resumption of in-person classes, survey shows that nearly all (95.5 with more than half of them supporting it, fol- percent) surveyed households reported lowed by a “significant portion” of teachers and to have received paper-based modules. undecided parents.16 However, some parents However, schools’ efforts to reach out are unwilling to send their children to school: of to parents beyond the distribution of those who are unwilling, 97 percent said they learning materials have significant room were worried of their children contracting the to improve especially in Visayas and virus. The HFM survey shows that only 3 in 10 Mindanao. The share of student respondents felt confident that going out was guardians who had been contacted by safe. In particular, there was grave concern the school varied enormously by island about the safety of public transportation. group in the HOPE survey–in Luzon 95.1 percent of parents were contacted, but in Mindanao only 27.8 percent of parents were contacted. Fig. 2: Willingness to send children Issue 4. Long-term learning losses for face-to-face classes By the time schools reopen for in-person 80 classes, students will have been far behind 70 the learning level of normal years, with some 60 50 groups experiencing wider learning gaps. If 40 no remediation education is offered, children 30 who have fallen behind the normal curriculum 20 during the school closure and distance learning 10 are likely to fall further behind as the 0 curriculum progresses.17 The learning gap will Poor st Q2 Q3 Q4 Rich st Ov r ll be wider among children who were not enrolled Quintil Quintil in distance learning at all. Now is the time to accelerate the deeper structural reforms in the education system. Returning to the pre-COVID system performance would not address the Issue 3. Preference for and fears about long-standing challenge of low levels of in-person classes learning outcomes for students. The response to the pandemic is an opportunity to provide The majority of students and households education in a new, and more effective, way. support the resumption of in-person classes, Fortunately, most of the investments to help but not all of them do. The nationwide HFM children learn more effectively in response to survey in December shows that 2 in 3 house- the pandemic learning losses can be done in a holds are willing to send their children back way that makes them contribute to the to school. The willingness to do face-to-face longer-term improvement of the system. learning is most pronounced among poorer households who have less access to online learning than wealthier households. (Fig. 2) 16 Atienza, Kyle, and Cortez, Gillian. 2021. “Education department gearing up for trial run of in-person classes.” BusinessWorld (Feb 18). https://www.bworldonline. com/education-department-gearing-up-for-trial-run-of-in-person-classes/. 17 Kaffenberger, Michelle. 2020. “How much learning may be lost in the long-run from COVID-19 and how can mitigation strategies help?” Brookings (June 15). https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2020/06/15/how-much-learning-may-be-lost-in-the-long-run-from-covid-19-and-how-can-mi- 8 tigation-strategies-help/. Recommendation on supporting A number of impact evaluation studies have children who are not engaged in any found improvement in student performance learning activity when teachers use TV video programs as a supplementary activity in their lessons in the Organize re-enrollment and re-engagement Philippines.18 campaigns. Presumably, short-term Schools need to monitor and ensure students’ dropouts this school year could lead to overall well-being during the COVID pandem- permanent dropouts after long school ic. Schools provide closures. Provide support to non-enrolled platforms for children to socialize and students to return to school next year, develop beyond learning academic subjects; including active reach-outs and awareness for low-income households, schools also campaigns, and provide remedial programs for provide a source of nutritional and returnees. Such efforts can be concentrated psychosocial support. It is essential that among the poor, particularly 4Ps beneficiaries. schools monitor and assess not only the Provide alternative learning options. When students’ learning progress but also their short-term dropouts are not returning to health and mental well-being, as well as their school the following year, provide them with access to nutritious meals which continue alternative delivery modality (ADM) programs to be delivered using different delivery modes and pathways and related information to and different food products from usual complete the equivalent primary and lower school-based feeding program.19 This could be secondary education. done in collaboration with LGUs, DepEd district offices, and communities. Recommendation on improving the Teachers need additional support to engage effectiveness of distance learning students effectively in distance learning. Teachers have faced difficult challenges to There is room to improve the delivery of engage students effectively given the different distance learning, which can be addressed learning modalities used by their students, the by strengthening communication between increased burden of interacting with individual teachers and students, engaging parents/ students and their families, and the lack of guardians actively in education, improving guidance on how to conduct effective distance the quality of paper modules, providing learning. Moreover, teachers and their families materials for early graders in local are also affected by the broader pandemic, languages, and enhancing awareness of the as other household members might have lost complementary platforms. To enhance the income or suffered health impacts from the effectiveness of distance learning, it is most virus and / or teachers might be caring for essential that teachers communicate with and teaching their own children. All this calls students. Cash allowances and means for for providing teachers with more examples teachers to reach out to students online, on of good practice in teaching through the new call, or in-person, can be considered. Where multi-modality approach and psycho-social possible, teachers may communicate with support to help them deal with the increased students in person on a small group or levels of stress. Much of the support to individual basis. Frequent communication teachers will need to be conducted through a between teachers and parents/guardians is distance modality, which will be a challenge, also critical. Given the high share of TV but also an opportunity for teachers to be ownership but relatively low awareness and distance learners just like their students. usage for education purposes, strengthening TV programming (e.g., extended hours, multiple languages for key subjects) can be considered. 18 Available in the KCFI’s website https://www.knowledgechannel.org/dlsu-impact-study. For example, see Mateo, Janvic. 2020. “School feeding program continues despite distance learning.” https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/12/04/2061379/ 19 9 school-feeding-program-continues-despite-distance-learning Recommendation on responding to However, this policy could be adjusted the significant, but uneven demand for areas where there are limited COVID for in-person classes cases and in-person classes, and where interactions between teachers and A gradual and optional transition to students may be relatively safe with in-person schooling is critical. The risk cautionary measures taken. DepEd, of exposure to the virus as well as the together with LGUs and communities, can tolerance to that risk differs among invest in hygiene facilities and supplies individuals and localities. Therefore, as to create a safe learning environment the national government sets clear for in-person classes and conduct public criteria for school reopening, it is awareness campaigns for teachers and essential that parents, students, parents on safety protocols and evidence teachers, and schools be given an on risks. The government’s recent decision opportunity to discuss when and how to prioritize teachers in the COVID-19 they can shift to in-person schooling vaccination effort is a welcoming key to reach a broad agreement among the pathway to enable schools to return to stakeholders. Even where COVID cases in-person learning. are low, a distance learning option should be offered to those who are not Recommendation on minimizing comfortable with in-person classes. long-term learning losses Priorities could be given to younger children (e.g., kindergarten and lower Monitor and assess students’ learning grades) who face significantly and provide learning recovery programs greater challenges in distance learning. when students return to school. It is The results of recent international and essential to implement learning recovery regional student assessments, namely, programs, including just-in-time the Programme for International Student assessments of individual students’ Assessment (PISA) 2018, Trend in learning level, intensive tutoring, teacher International Mathematics and Science training in adaptive learning where Study (TIMSS) 2019, and Southeast instruction and pedagogical Asia Primary Learning Matrix (SEA-PLM) practices are adapted to students’ levels 2019, clearly demonstrated the and needs, and prioritization of children’s importance of strengthening early attainment of essential skills. Prepare literacy and numeracy as the foundation teachers for lower levels of learning and for further learning. The direct higher levels of learning inequality in interaction should ideally be in-person, their classroom because learning gaps and at the minimum, via live online are expected to vary among students. communication, TV and radio programs. Students can continue to learn through Indeed, given the need to help multiple modalities to maximize learning. students catch up with lost learning, the Even pre-COVID, students’ learning multi-modality approach should continue outcomes were extremely poor—a even for children who return to challenge that requires systemic face-to-face schooling to maximize their reforms. A fundamental bottleneck learning opportunities. includes serious mismatches between In planning the transition—given the the language of instruction and the persisting fears of the virus among a students’ language proficiency, high number of households—strong inadequate knowledge and skills among health protocols as well as opt-out teachers to teach students with limited plans should be established to create a and different levels of basic literacy and safe learning environment. To date, the numeracy, and the lack of teaching and nationwide policy of no in-person learning materials in the language that classes chools across the country. students understand. Structural challenges such as these will remain, and should be addressed going forward. 10