A leading research firm based in Taguig City expressed deep concern over the latest results from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), showing that the Philippines has been trailing far behind other countries in creative thinking skills.
Capstone-Intel Corporation released Tuesday data from a comprehensive ‘sentiment analysis’ it conducted based on this news. The firm gathered reactions from various social media platforms, particularly on Facebook, between June 18 to 25.
Their analysis revealed an impressive engagement score of 66,201.6, derived from 32,232 comments, 50,127 shares, and 128,514 reactions. The dominant emotional response was ‘sad’ at 46.9 percent, reflecting widespread disappointment.
Other reactions include ‘Haha’ at 24.4 percent, ‘Like’ at 23.1 percent, ‘Love’ at 4.3 percent, ‘Wow’ at 1.1 percent, and ‘Angry’ at 0.2 percent.
Capstone-Intel research director Ella Kristina Coronel interpreted these responses as an indicator of public concern over the Filipino youth’s creative thinking capabilities.
Creative thinking, which includes skills such as writing, visual expression, and problem-solving, is increasingly vital in today’s AI-driven and social media-saturated world.
Coronel urged the public to take the PISA results seriously and to understand their implications for the future of education in the Philippines.
“Students who scored high in the PISA tests reported that their teachers encouraged original thinking and the expression of ideas in the classroom,” Coronel added. This highlights the crucial role of educators in fostering a learning environment that nurtures creativity.
The PISA results placed the Philippines among the lowest-ranked countries, with an average score of 14 points out of a possible 33, lagging behind 81 other nations.
Only three percent of Filipino 15-year-olds possess creative thinking skills comparable to their peers in top-performing countries like Singapore.
Capstone-Intel’s findings call for urgent action to enhance the quality of education and to equip students with the necessary skills to compete globally.
“We have to take the PISA results as one of the metrics in evaluating and elevating our standards because creativity cannot be replaced; it is innate among individuals,” Coronel said.
She stressed that developing students’ creativity is a responsibility shared by parents, communities, and schools, adding: “It takes a village to raise a creative child. –With Rolando Ng III