TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) – The Schools Division of Cagayan urged school leaders and parents to provide stronger support for students to enhance their overall performance.
In a project report by the Department of Education (DepEd), Superintendent Reynante Z. Caliguiran emphasized the need to intensify efforts to raise student achievement, noting that students in Grades 3, 6, 10, and 12 performed below 80 percent in English, Math, and Science.
Caliguiran acknowledged that several factors contribute to this issue, including economic challenges, the increasing number of children needing support for food and nutrition, recurring natural disasters, and shortages in essential resources.
“Despite these challenges, the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Cagayan is committed to collaborating with stakeholders to address learning gaps and improve the quality of education,” Caliguiran said.
He stressed that addressing these issues requires a collective, community-wide approach.
“Teachers cannot do this alone. Parents, teachers, and local officials must work together,” he stated.
Caliguira also highlighted the vital role of parents in the development of students.
“We’re mobilizing everyone, and we need the support of all stakeholders. Strengthening parenting practices is essential. Each Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting should be an opportunity for teachers to discuss the progress of every child with their parents,” he added.
Romel L. Libag, officer-in-charge assistant schools division superintendent, pointed out that the transition from online and alternative learning to face-to-face classes has significantly impacted student performance.
“We’ve set ambitious targets to achieve at least 75 percent in learning achievement,” said Libag. However, he acknowledged that reaching this goal is challenging due to various factors.
Furthermore, the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) assessment for Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 revealed that approximately 9,000 students are at the “frustrated” reading level.
To address this, Caliguiran emphasized the need for frequent, high-quality instructional supervision across all schools.
“Supervisors and head teachers must spend more time in classrooms to closely monitor student progress, particularly in reading and numeracy skills,” he said.
The Schools Division Office of Cagayan continues to push for initiatives to reduce learning losses and improve educational outcomes. With the support of parents, teachers, and the community, the division remains hopeful in its pursuit of improved student achievement. (OTB/MFJ/PIA Region 2)
