DepEd wants public apology from World Bank over outdated education report

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 5) - The World Bank should issue an apology to the Philippines for its supposedly outdated and “insulting” report on the country's educational situation, a Cabinet official said on Monday.

In the recently released document, the World Bank said Filipino children fare poorly in studies as over 80% "do not know what they should know” but Education Secretary Leonor Briones pointed out it was outdated.

Briones said the data is no longer accurate as it was from the Program for International Student Assessment in 2019. The report did not include recent developments and efforts to improve education, she added.

Briones said the World Bank also did not notify the government about releasing the report, which is against protocols.

“Since the country was insulted, shamed, we expect and look forward to a public apology, lalo na yung 'di pagsabi sa amin na naglabas sila ng gano'ng klaseng datos na lumang-luma [especially as they failed to inform us that they released outdated data],” she said in a briefing.

The Education chief said she already personally received an apology from the Washington-based lender but added that she wants it addressed to the Filipino people.

“Hindi naman ako ang natatamaan dito. Ang natatamaan ang bansa [It’s not me being attacked by the report; it’s the country],” she said.