FINAL REQUIREMENT

IN MATH 201

Submitted by:
KRISHA P. PAGARIGAN

Submitted to:
DR. RIZALINO G. CARONAN

APRIL 4, 2024
 Impact of Mathematics in the Philippines
Mathematics opens opportunities to most professions studied at the highest levels of

education because it helps in the acquisition of the necessary skills needed in solving problems.

It is not only limited to knowledge in computation, but it also helps individuals to think rationally

and critically. Thus, mathematics stands as a cornerstone, shaping critical thinking, problem

solving skills, and analytical reasoning. In the Philippines, the significance of mathematics

transcends mere numerical calculations; it embodies a gateway to unlocked academic and

professional opportunities. However, despite of this importance, mathematics education in the

Philippines faces multifaceted challenges, particularly at the elementary and secondary levels.

This paper delves into the impact of mathematics education in the Philippines and

elucidates the challenges hindering the advancement of math education at the elementary and

secondary levels. Understanding these challenges is important to devise effective strategies to

enhance and strengthen students learning in math education. In connection, it will examine the

factors influencing the challenges and addressed these factors. Moreover, implementation of

appropriate coping strategies will be analyzed. By exploring these dynamics, this paper aims to

shed light towards fostering a robust mathematical foundation for the nation's youth, contributing

to students' development and empower their global competitiveness.

In the Philippines, the landscape of mathematics education at the elementary and

secondary levels is fraught with challenges impeding the progress and hinders achievement of

Filipino students. Most high school students are still experiencing difficulties and problems in their

mathematics subjects because they view math as boring, difficult, abstract, and not too practical

(Ignacio, Nieto, & Barona, 2006). This factor seemed to affect the students learning progress in

mathematics education which resulted to low level of students' achievement in mathematics. In

the report of Trend International Mathematical Science Study Advanced (TIMMS), their

examination on the patterns of students' performance towards mathematics education revealed

that over 20 years, there were some declines in the students’ performances, and there were no

improvements in the countries assessed (Maltese & Tai, 2011).

In addition, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (NMAP) report (2008) emphasized

the importance of not only computational fluency, but also conceptual understanding and

problem-solving skills. Failure to develop problem-solving skills in concert with conceptual

understanding and computational fluency contributes to poor mathematics. performance as

children age. Specifically, many middle school students remain “unprepared for [the] complex and

novel problem solving” that is increasingly required of students as they progress through middle

and high school. As such, it is critical that research investigates variable that predict mathematical

problem-solving performance. (Cheyenne L. Hughes-Reid & Jon R. Star, 2016).

Current research reports that the following difficulties regarding solving word problem skills

include lack of understanding of the meaning of algebraic symbols, barriers to accurately

transform data provided by natural language into mathematical equations, misinterpretation of the

structure of semantic text and, consequently, a misunderstanding of the relationship between

numbers and, finally, the difficulty of bringing semantic evidence from phrase to mathematical

equations. (Ng & Lee, 2009) Thus, students' difficulties in understanding mathematics concepts

have a great impact in the improvement of mathematics education in the Philippines.

On the other hand, Pentang et al (2023) revealed that the low performance of students in

the Philippines was also influenced by the lacked of having qualified and well-trained math

teachers. Wherein, the Philippines is currently facing shortage of teachers with strong math

education foundation leading to poor delivery of instruction and utilization of a variety of teaching

strategies. In connection, there are many elementary school teachers do not have a strong

background in mathematics, and this can make it challenging for them to teach mathematics

effectively. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recommends that elementary

teachers receive a minimum of 9 semester hours of mathematics content coursework beyond

elementary school mathematics, yet many teachers do not receive or pursue this level of training

(NCTM, 2014).

Moreover, this shortage of trained and qualified teachers in the Philippines seemed to be

critical factor affecting the quality of education (Gonzales, 2018). Due to the deployment of

underqualified teachers to remote or disadvantaged areas further worsens the situation, these

regions often face a higher concentration of students with limited opportunities for quality education

(Acosta, 2019). Thus, the lack of well-prepared teachers hampers effective teaching and inhibits

students’ ability to reach their full potential academically.

One solution to this challenge is to provide teachers with professional development

opportunities that focus specifically on mathematics instruction. Teachers can attend

workshops, conferences, and webinars in order to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to

teach mathematics more effectively. Teachers can also collaborate with colleagues to share

resources, strategies and expertise. Schools may consider hiring math coaches or specialists to

work with teachers and support them in developing their pedagogical content

knowledge.(Vmillerbennett, 2023)

Teaching elementary mathematics is a complex and challenging task, but with the right

strategies and support, educators can overcome these challenges and help students to develop a

strong foundation in mathematics concepts, processes and skills. By addressing issues such as

lack of time, inadequate training, and lack of student engagement, teachers can create a more

effective and engaging learning environment that promotes mathematics success for all students.

With a focus on innovation and collaboration, we can ensure that all students have opportunities

to succeed in their future academic and professional lives. (National Council of Teachers of

Mathematics, 2014)

On the other hand, to teach mathematics in the secondary level, excellent principle of

ready to progress is needed. This readiness to progress will determine their strong foundation
about the subject and it must be developed during their elementary level. Low foundation of ready

to progress impacts students' difficulties in understanding higher math concepts. (Gardiner, 2016)

In line with this, difficulty with mathematics courses at the high school level might also contribute

to the overall weak background in math educations and may lead to performance difficulties

among college students. The foundations of mathematics taken at the high school level may play

a prominent role in college level mathematics achievement (Agatep, JLE, 2018). Thus, challenges

start in teaching mathematics in the elementary level because it serves as the building block or

backbone to improve mathematics achievement of students in the higher level.

In the Philippines, results in the recent National Achievement Test reveal that grade 10

Filipino students’ level of performance in Mathematics has the lowest MPS of 32.42. Master Level

Index falls under “Average Mastery” which means that learners perform way below the acceptable

MPS. (NAT, 2019) In addition, Filipino students’ performance in Math needs to be improved as

reflected in the 2016-2017 Global Competitiveness Report; in this, the Philippines ranked 79th

out of the 138 participating countries in terms of the quality of Science and Math education. This

report is consistent with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) National Achievement Test (NAT)

results, in which the Mean Percentage Score in Mathematics was 48.63% a score below the 50

percent requirement of DepEd. (Peteros et al. 2019)

To cater the demands of various disciplines in mathematics competence, the high school

mathematics in the Philippines under the K to 12 curriculum is of spiral progression approach

(Department of Education, 2013). Moreover, as a skills subject, mathematics provides a solid

foundation for necessary concepts and life skills Filipino learners develop in basic education. The

mathematics curriculum in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum has two objectives: critical

thinking and problem solving.

However, despite of its significant designed to revisit and reinforce key mathematics

concept across grade levels into a progressive manner, this approach also offers challenges
related to students' difficulties and retention of students. Other literature showed that this

education system of the Philippines tends to represents negative impact in the student's

progression in mathematics. Many students under this K-to-12 curriculum approach had a low

grasp and retention of the math subject when they move into a higher level due to abundance of

content and competencies paced into limited instructional. Since their research was conducted

after the pandemic outbreak, it was concluded that the previous pandemic outbreak also seemed

to contribute in the low achieving performance of students in Math Education. In connection, the

new mode of learning during the pandemic was considered as one of the challenges faced by the

Philippines in improving the learning process of students which have a significant impact on their

academic performance.

According to Pecjo 2022, due to changes like the COVID-19 pandemic, triggered the shift

in the learning modality of the students and learning environment, this major shift impacts the

teaching-learning process, specifically the students' academic performance here in the

Philippines. In addition, Rivera [10] provided an in-depth assessment of the K-12 curriculum in

the Philippines by identifying the misalignment of teaching pedagogies. The study finds that a

thorough review of the curriculum’s content is needed for the development of more robust

pedagogies. Moreover, A similar finding was revealed by Barrot (2018) regarding the new English

curriculum in that it is misaligned with the traditional language teaching and learning principles.

As such, Barrot (2018) maintains that the new K-12 curriculum needs to improve its specificity,

internal coherence, and integration of some essential principles of 21st-century learning and

language teaching. Moreover, Relucio and Palaoag [13] found using a sentiment analysis of social

media posts from students that the K-12 curriculum has received an overall negative response

from students.

With the curriculum weaknesses being mentioned, educators in the Philippines come up

with modification and develop a new curriculum to decongest the overcrowded curriculum that
resulted in compromised fundamental skills among learners which is the MATATAG Curriculum.

The MATATAG or K to 10 curriculums will put emphasis on five important skills: language, reading

and literacy, mathematics, makabansa, and good manners and right conduct. Current

researchers' future implication of this new curriculum has the potential to transform mathematics

education in the Philippines, equipping students with essential mathematical competencies and

preparing them for the challenges of the 21st century.

Based on my understanding with the new curriculum, Matatag Curriculum has the potential

to transform the mathematics education in the Philippines by addressing the challenges and

difficulties mentioned, investing teacher training programs is one coping strategies of this

curriculum to provide qualified and well-trained educators. Also, the decongest learning

competency will help students with the retention and improve level of achievement in

Mathematics. Moreover, the infrastructure support plays an important role to nurture

mathematically competent and improve students conceptual understanding on mathematics

education poised for success in the global arena.

With this exploration of challenges and coping strategies of mathematics education in the

Philippines, the implementation of K-to-12 Curriculum has ushered significant changes in the

Philippine education system. Reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of this curriculum,

educators leverage its principles by transforming and modifying a MATATAG Curriculum to shape

the future Philippine Education and unlocked the full potential of every learner. By engaging

further inquiries and collaboration, curriculum makers, teachers and other curriculum

implementers can collectively work towards innovative solutions and transformative practices that

empower learners and foster a culture of mathematical proficiency and resilience. What avenues

will you explore to contribute to the ongoing evolution of mathematics education in the

Philippines? How can the Philippines navigate the complex landscape of mathematics education

to ensure quality education and excellence for all students?

References
1. Hernalyn G. Aguhayon, Roselyn D. Tingson & Jupeth T. Pentang (2023). "Addressing Students
Learning Gaps in Mathematics through Differentiated Instruction"., pp 70-87, Vol 4. No. 1

2. Pentang et al (2023). "Problem-solving difficulties, performance, and differences among

preservice teachers in Western Philippines University"., The Palawan Scientist, 16(1): 58-68.

3. Benjamin F. Mijares (2022). "Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Learners in 4.

Mathematics Amidst Pandemic". Psych Educ, 2022, 5(1): 624-637

4. Department of Education Press (2023). DepEd to conduct National Learning Camp to enhance
learning outcomes, support teachers.

5. Vmillerbennett, (2023). "Navigating the Current Challenges in Teaching Elementary

Mathematics"

6. Abragan el at (2022). "Research Review on K-12 Curriculum Implementation in The Philippines:

A Generic Perspective". European Journal of Educational & Social Sciences Volume 7 Issue 1

7. Peteros et al (2019). Factors Affecting Mathematics Performance of Junior High School

Students.

8. Agatep, 2018. "Student Performance in Pre-Calculus Courses: Unbolting Gate for Success in
Differential Calculus"

9. Tony Gardiner (2016). Teaching Mathematics at Secondary Level. Cambridge, UK: Open Book
Publishers, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0071

10. Calderon, M. F. (2014). "A Critique of K-12 Philippine Education System". International
Journal of Education and Research. Vol. 2 No. 10