The State of Education in the Philippines
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Education plays a vital role in shaping the nation’s progress. It serves as the foundation for personal growth, social development, and economic prosperity. Through this, individuals gain the knowledge, skills, and values they need to achieve success individually and as a productive member of society. It is more than just academic learning, but a crucial driving force for national development.
Assessing education accessibility, quality, and progression from primary to higher education levels
In 2025, the Philippines ranked 74th out of 177 countries in the Global Education Futures Initiative (GEF) “Readiness” Index, scoring 56.32 out of 100 and classified as “emerging partial readiness.” GEF is a global research and innovation consultancy that focuses on exploring and shaping the future of education through foresight, research, and collaborative projects.
Additionally, the Philippines ranked 63rd globally in the education category of the 2024 International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook, ranking as the lowest ASEAN member in this category. IMD is a world-renowned business school that evaluates countries’ competitiveness and talent development capabilities, including the effectiveness of their education systems.
These rankings reflect the current state of education accessibility, quality, and student progression in the Philippines. Access to schools, especially in rural and remote areas, remains uneven, while quality education is affected by insufficient resources and overcrowded classrooms. Progression from primary to higher education might be also influenced by these systemic challenges. How do these rankings translate into the experiences of Filipino students across different regions in the country?
SDG 4: Ensuring Inclusive and Quality Education for All in the Philippines
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) is crucial in addressing these challenges. SDG 4 aims to ensure inclusive, equitable, and lifelong learning opportunities, focusing on providing free primary and secondary education, improving access to higher education, and promoting skills development for all, regardless of background.
Number of years per education level in the Philippines
Data Source: Department of Energy, 2023
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
The average education year in the Philippines is seventeen years, composed of kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, and tertiary education. Only Kindergarten (usually the Kinder 2 / Prep level) is mandatory before entering Grade 1 in public schools. Nursery and Kinder 1 are optional and usually offered by private preschools or daycare centers to help children transition smoothly into formal schooling.
Basic education follows a 13-year K-12 structure which is compulsory, Kindergarten and 12 grades. The education system in the Philippines is overseen by three government agencies, each responsible for a specific level of education: the Department of Education (DepEd) manages basic education, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) supervises tertiary education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) handles technical and vocational education.
In 2013, former President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the Philippine K-12 Law. This legislation was enacted to enhance the quality of the Philippine education system and align it with international standards.
To understand the state of education in the Philippines, three key categories will be highlighted: (1) educational attainment and proficiency, (2) student enrollment and graduation, and (3) institutional infrastructure. These categories reflect the progress of Filipino learners from basic to higher education.
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Educational Proficiency
Explore the progress of Filipino learners ages 5 years old and above, highlighting their proficiency and literacy skills in the country’s evolving educational landscape.
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Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) conducts the Functional Literacy Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) every five years to gather data on basic and functional literacy, educational attainment, and exposure to mass media to help guide the formulation of government policies and programs. It is being done every five years.
PSA FLEMMS Sampling Method
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) uses a multi-stage sampling design that begins with a Master Sample of Primary Sampling Units (PSUs), which are geographic areas such as barangays. Within the selected PSUs, households are systematically sampled using cluster sampling, where groups of consecutive households (clusters) are randomly chosen. The sample size for each PSU is proportional to its population size, and weights are applied to adjust for selection probability and non-response.
Basic Literacy Rate of Population of Filipinos 5 years old and over (in percentage)
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2019-24
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
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Provinces in Region VIII were excluded from the 2019 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) due to the devastation caused by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013
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There is no publicly posted data for 2013
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NIR data are only available for the year 2024-present as the region was re-established only in 2024.
2019
94 in every 100 Filipinos ages 5 years old and over are considered to have basic literacy skills, according to the 2019 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS). According to the survey, the National Capital Region (NCR) was registered as the region with highest basic literacy skills at 97.6%, meanwhile the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had the lowest at 78.7%.
The survey also revealed that respondents of the survey in the same age group who were at least junior high school completer (Grade 10 completers) in the K-12 curriculum had 100.0% and considered to have basic literacy rate, compared to those respondents with no grade completed or at most received early childhood education had the lowest recorded basic literacy rate at 40.1% percent.
2024
The 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), reported a basic literacy rate of 90.0% among Filipinos aged five years and older. This figure represents approximately 93.09 million individuals who are able to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic.
According to the 2024 results, basic literacy rates varied across regions. Central Luzon (Region III) recorded the highest rate at 92.8%, while the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) registered the lowest at 81.0%.
Functional Literacy Rate of Population of Filipinos 10 to 64 years old (in percentage)
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2013-24
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
The PSA also measures functional literacy among Filipinos aged 10 to 64 years because this age group is expected to develop advanced reading, writing, and numeracy skills that can be applied in real-life situations. Functional literacy includes not only reading and writing skills but also numeracy skills, and it reflects the ability to apply these skills in real-life situations.
2013
The result of the 2013 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) showcased that 9 out of 10 Filipinos were considered functionally literate, according to the survey they took. It represents 90.3% of the total population.
Numerous regions in Luzon were recorded to have a high literacy rate, higher than the national average of 90.3%. In that year, Region II, Cagayan Valley got the highest functional literacy rate at 97.2%, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 95.3%. On the other hand, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was recorded as the lowest region in the Philippines in terms of functional literacy with 72.1%, it was considered lowest not just in Mindanao island, but to the whole country.
In 2013, BARMM was still not yet formed. It was until January 21, 2019 when Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was founded.
2019
The results of the 2019 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) showed that 91.6% of Filipinos aged 10 to 64 were functionally literate. This means that approximately 73 million out of 79.7 million individuals in that age group were considered literate at a functional level.
As shown in the graph, the National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the highest functional literacy rate at 96.5%, followed by Region IV-A (CALABARZON) and Region X (Northern Mindanao), both with 95.4%. Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had the lowest rate at 71.6%.
2024
The functional literacy rate of Filipinos aged 10 to 64 years old in 2020 is 79.8%, according to the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This means that 7 out of 10 Filipinos in that age group are considered functionally literate, and around 60.17 million Filipinos out of the estimated 85 million Filipinos in the same group.
In 2024, Cordillera Administrative Region recorded as the region with the highest functional literacy rate at 81.2%. Meanwhile, Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) had the lowest at 59.3 percent.
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Student Enrollment
and Graduation
Explore the journey of Filipino students across all education levels—from enrollment to graduation. Gain insights of the academic performance, and national proficiency scores that reflect the growth, challenges, and transformation within the Philippine educational landscape.
Net Enrollment Rate in Public and Private Elementary Schools (In Percentage)
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
According to the Philippine Statistical Yearbook released in 2024, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported the net enrollment rate (NER) in both public and private elementary schools across the country. The NER, also known as the participation rate, refers to the percentage of children who are enrolled in elementary school and are within the official school age for that level. In simpler terms, it shows how many children of the right age are actually going to elementary school.
For the school year 2020-2021, Region X (Northern Mindanao) got the highest percentage among all regions with 97.08%, surpassing the National Capital Region which scored 81.15%. In contrast, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) scored the lowest at 69.17%.
Region X (Northern Mindanao) consecutively ranked as the region with highest percentage of NER in Elementary schools as they also ranked first in the following school year, 2021-2022 with 98.01%, followed by Region III (Central Luzon) with 96.8%. BARMM still scored the lowest with 62.82%.
The latest data by DepEd, school year 2022-2023, Region III (Western Visayas) scored the highest with 92.44% followed by Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) with 92.44%. For the three consecutive years, BARMM ranked the lowest with 63.1%, slightly higher than its score during the previous year but way lower than its score during the school year 2020-2021.
Net Enrollment Rate in Public and Private Junior High Schools (In Percentage)
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
In 2020–2021, Region II (Cagayan Valley) had the highest rate at 93.44%, while BARMM had the lowest at 37.19%.
By 2021–2022, Region II again had the highest NER at 96.06%. But BARMM still had the lowest rate, and it even went down to 35.59%. By 2022-2023, Region I (Ilocos Region) scored the highest NER at 91.57%, followed by Region VI (Western Visayas) at 91.55%. On the other hand, BARMM consecutively scored the lowest NER by Region. This shows that BARMM consistently had the lowest number of enrolled junior high school students for three school years in a row. While many regions are improving, BARMM continues to face challenges in terms of education.
Net Enrollment Rate in Public and Private Senior High Schools (In Percentage)
The K to 12 program in the Philippines was officially implemented in 2012, adding two more years of Senior High School (Grades 11 and 12) to basic education. Since then, the government has been working to improve access to senior high school across the country.
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
From the school year 2020 to 2022, the net enrollment rate in public and private senior high schools showed improvement in many regions, but some areas still struggled. In 2020–2021, the highest enrollment was in Region IV-A (CALABARZON) with 64.80%, while BARMM was the lowest at 12.78%.
By 2021–2022, the highest NER rose further to 73.91% in Region I (Ilocos Region), but BARMM again had the lowest at 12.28%. On the following year, 2022-2023, Region I scored again as the highest NER among regions in the Philippines with 76.96%, meanwhile, BARMM had the lowest for the three consecutive years, scoring 17.41%, slightly higher compared to the previous year but way lower compared to other regions.
This data shows that while some regions have made strong progress in senior high school enrollment under the K to 12 program, BARMM continues to face challenges in terms of education.
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Cohort Survival Rate
Cohort Survival Rate (CSR) measures the percentage of students entering the first grade (or year) of a specific education level who successfully reach the final grade of that level. It indicates the proportion of a cohort that completes the entire cycle, like elementary, junior high, or senior high school.
How is it calculated?
It is being calculated by dividing the number of students who reach the final grade by the number of students in the initial cohort and multiplying by 100.
Source: DepEd NCR (n.d.)
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Cohort Survival Rate in Public and Private Elementary Schools (in percentage)
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
In 2020-2021, Region II (Cagayan Valley) had the highest CSR in public and private elementary schools at 98.89%, while BARMM had the lowest rate at 64.65%.
In 2021-22, several regions — Regions III (Central Luzon), Region IV-A (Calabarzon), Region IV-B (Mimaropa), Region V (Bicol Region), Region VI (Western Visayas), Region VII (Central Visayas), Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), Region X (Northern Mindanao), Region XI (Davao Region), Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN), and NCR (National Capital Region) achieved 100% CSR, this means that the students in these regions were able to reach Grade 6. Meanwhile, BARMM improved at 87.45%, but still remained the region with the lowest CSR.
The recent 2022-2023 data from DepEd showed that regions which scored 100% CSR, scored lower compared to the previous year. Four regions retain their CSR at 100% - Region III (Central Luzon), Region IV-A (CALABARZON), Region VII (Central Visayas), and Region XI (Davao Region). Meanwhile, BARMM remained the lowest for three consecutive years. The region scored slightly higher compared to its previous years with 90.24%.
Cohort Survival Rate in Public and Private Junior High Schools (in percentage)
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
By SY 2020–2021, Region II (Cagayan Valley) achieved the highest CSR at 96.59%, showing strong retention efforts. In contrast, Region V (Bicol Region) saw a significant decline with the lowest CSR of 68.96%, indicating possible challenges due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or socio-economic factors.
A remarkable improvement was observed in SY 2021–2022, where multiple regions—namely the National Capital Region (NCR), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Regions I to XI—achieved a perfect 100% CSR. This milestone suggests a strong recovery in the education system and effective interventions to support students in completing junior high school.
Despite these gains, BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) and Region XIII (Caraga) reported the lowest rates at 98.14%.
The latest DepEd data from 2022-2023 presented that the National Capital Region remains the region with highest CSR with 97.89%, although its CSR rate is lowered compared to 2021-2022, where it got a perfect CSR rate, it remains the highest region.
Total Enrollment Numbers in Public and Private School by Level of Education (2020-2024)
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
The Department of Education reported that more than 24 million students were enrolled from elementary to senior high school, in both public and private schools. This figure represents the total number of students who enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of their mode of education—whether printed or digital modular learning.
Education amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic
The total number of enrollees decreased significantly compared to the previous school year (2019–2020). Enrollment dropped from over 27.7 million students in the K–12 system, as reported by the Department of Education (DepEd), to 24 million for the 2020–2021 school year.
During this period, education in the Philippines was significantly impacted, resulting in a shift from traditional face-to-face learning to various forms of remote learning such as modular, online, and blended methods. The education system had to adapt to new approaches to ensure safe and quality learning for all Filipino students despite the challenges.
The United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that the Philippines was among the countries that failed to immediately resume in-person schooling when the pandemic began. In 2020, schools worldwide were fully closed for an average of 79 teaching days. However, schools in the Philippines remained closed for more than a year — equivalent to over 200 teaching days. Additionally, the decline in enrollment reflects the many challenges the education sector faced during the pandemic. Issues such as insufficient funding, educational disparities, and curriculum and teaching concerns were further compounded by digital challenges. The pandemic highlighted the digital divide, as many students—especially those in remote areas—lacked access to gadgets and a stable internet connection.
Higher Education Enrollment by Region and Institution Type (2022-2023)
Data Source: Commission on Higher Education, 2023
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
What are the different higher education institution types in the Philippines?
The Department of Education reported that more than 24 million students were enrolled from elementary to senior high school, in both public and private schools. This figure represents the total number of students who enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of their mode of education—whether printed or digital modular learning.
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In the 2022-2023 academic year, the National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the highest higher education enrollment in the Philippines, reflecting the region as the primary educational hub. As reported by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), a total of 544,140 students were enrolled in private institutions, 130,560 students in Local Universities and Colleges (LCU), 171,884 students (SUC), and 1,012 students in Other Government Schools (OGS).
Other Government Schools (OGS) include specialized government-run institutions offering higher education programs. Examples are technical-vocational colleges under TESDA or specialized schools managed by government agencies, which provide targeted programs in science, technology, and other technical fields. While enrollment in OGS is smaller compared to SUCs and private universities, these institutions contribute to workforce development in niche and high-demand areas.
This illustrates the significant concentration of higher education opportunities in NCR, with private institutions enrolling the majority of students, while SUCs, LUCs, and OGS serve important complementary roles in providing diverse tertiary education pathways.
Higher Education Enrollment by Discipline Group (2020-2021)
Data Source: Commission on Higher Education, 2021
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) reported that during the academic year 2020–2021, the disciplines with the highest number of enrollees were Business Administration, Education Science and Teacher Training, Engineering and Technology, Information Technology, and Criminology and related programs. Business Administration had the most enrollees, followed by Education and Teacher Training in second, and Engineering and Technology in third. Information Technology ranked fourth, while Criminology and related courses were fifth in terms of enrollment numbers. CHED also reported that Medical and Allied Health programs had a high number of graduates during the same period, although these were not among the top five in enrollment.
As of now, CHED has not released publicly available data on higher education enrollment and graduation statistics for the years 2021 to 2024.
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Institutional Infrastructure
Educational infrastructure encompasses physical facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, libraries, sanitation facilities, and access to technology, as well as essential resources like textbooks and learning materials, The quality of education is primarily linked to the state of its educational infrastructure. Improving physical facilities, ensuring access to modern technology, and maintaining supportive learning environments are essential steps toward elevating educational outcomes.
Number of Schools in the Philippines
Elementary
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2023
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
According to the 2024 Philippine Statistical Yearbook (PSY), there were 50,244 public and private elementary schools in the Philippines in School Year 2020–2021. Region IV-A (CALABARZON) had the most schools with 5,164, followed by Region III (Central Luzon) with 4,342. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) had the fewest, with 1,722 schools.
In 2021–2022, Region IV-A (CALABARZON) remained the highest with 5,000 schools, followed by Region III (Central Luzon) with 4,290, and Region VI (Western Visayas) with 4,288. The Cordillera Administrative Region continued to have the lowest number at 1,711 schools, a small decrease from the previous year. For 2022–2023, Region IV-A (CALABARZON) still led with 4,879 schools, Region III had 4,273, and Cordillera Administrative Region had the fewest with 1,709. In 2023–2024, the total number of elementary schools dropped slightly by 60. Region 4A stayed on top for the fourth year in a row, with 4,851 schools, while CAR remained the lowest, with 1,704 schools.
Junior High School
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2023
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
According to the 2023 Philippine Statistical Yearbook (PSY), in School Year 2020–2021, Region IV-A (CALABARZON) had the highest number of junior high schools with 2,082, almost double the number in the National Capital Region (NCR). Region IV-A (CALABARZON) remained the highest in the following years: 2021–2022, 2022–2023, and 2023–2024.
In contrast, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) had the fewest junior high schools, with 1,722 in 2020–2021. The number slightly decreased in the following years: 1,711 in 2021–2022, and 1,704 in 2023–2024, maintaining its position as the region with the lowest number of schools.
The data highlights a clear regional disparity in the distribution of junior high schools. While Region IV-A (CALABARZON) continues to have a high concentration of schools to accommodate its large population, CAR’s limited number of schools may reflect geographical challenges, lower population density, or limited access to resources
Senior High School
Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2023
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
From School Year 2020 to 2024, Region IV-A (CALABARZON) consistently had the highest number of senior high schools in the Philippines. In 2020–2021, the region recorded 1,443 schools, followed by Region III (Central Luzon) with 1,240 schools. Over the years, both regions saw gradual increases, with Region IV-A (CALABARZON) reaching 1,465 schools in 2022–2023 and 1,477 schools in 2023–2024, while Central Luzon had 1,263 schools by 2022–2023.
In contrast, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) consistently had the fewest senior high schools, starting with 341 in 2020–2021 and gradually increasing to 353 in 2022–2023 and 358 in 2023–2024.
The data shows a persistent regional gap in senior high school availability. CALABARZON’s high numbers reflect its large population and urbanized environment, supporting broader access to senior high education. CAR’s lower numbers, while gradually increasing, suggest challenges such as geographic barriers and limited infrastructure, which can restrict equitable access for students in more remote areas. This highlights the need for continued investment and targeted policies to expand senior high school access in underserved regions.
Higher Education Institutions (2023-2024)
Data Source: Commission on Higher Education, 2024
Visuals by: Francine Regencia
According to the latest CHED report (2023–2024), Region IV-A (CALABARZON) leads the country in the number of higher education institutions (HEIs), with a total of 365. This diverse group comprises private institutions, locally funded universities and colleges (LUCs), other government schools (OGS), and state universities and colleges (SUCs). The region surpasses the National Capital Region, which has 318 HEIs, reflecting CALABARZON’s rapid population growth, increasing demand for tertiary education, and expanding economic development.
The high concentration of HEIs in CALABARZON can be attributed to several factors, including its proximity to Metro Manila, strong industrial and commercial growth, and the presence of emerging urban centers such as Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.
Toward Quality Education for Every Filipino
Providing quality education for all Filipinos continues to be an important goal for the country. Despite improvements in literacy rates, enrollment, and access to basic education, many challenges remain in ensuring that learning opportunities are equal for everyone. Differences in school facilities, resources, and access to higher education make it challenging for some students, especially those in remote or underserved areas, to fully benefit from the education system.
To move closer to inclusive and high-quality education, there is a need for consistent investment, thoughtful policies, and programs that address the specific needs of disadvantaged communities. A stronger education system not only helps individuals grow but also supports social development, economic progress, and the country’s long-term potential. Ensuring that every Filipino has the chance to learn and succeed is a critical step toward shaping a brighter future.
This raises an important question: what other concrete and impactful initiatives can be taken to make quality education accessible to all learners across the Philippines?