Sonny Angara, the Education Secretary, has suggested a government-sponsored program to send top Filipino students to study abroad to better support the country’s most gifted learners. Angara highlighted that only around 1% of the nation’s best students receive government support, mainly from science high schools, pointing to a gap in resources for students with high academic potential.
Since the nation has traditionally prioritized access to education over quality, Angara emphasized the need to focus more on educational quality. In an interview on OneNews’ Thought Leaders on October 25, he stated, “We’ve prioritized access so much that we neglected quality.”
According to Angara, the Department of Education (DepEd) is actively working to develop programs for high-achieving students in response to findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2). Currently, only about 1.03% of the 27 million Filipino students are enrolled in special science programs and schools, such as the Philippine Science High School System run by the Department of Science and Technology.
Limited slots in these programs prevent many talented students from accessing them, which, according to EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Yee, restricts the nation’s full academic potential. Angara believes a government-sponsored international scholarship program could help close this gap, inspired by the success of similar programs in other countries, such as Singapore.
Angara cited the Philippines’ colonial-era Pensionado program as an example. Established during the American colonial era, this program funded Filipino students to pursue education in the United States, preparing them for leadership roles back home. Since 2013, Angara has advocated for a modern version of this program, proposing that the government fund exceptional Filipino students to study abroad.
While acknowledging that Filipinos are generally less inclined to study overseas, Angara emphasized the importance of embracing a global perspective and preparing students for internationally recognized standards. DepEd is also implementing a nationwide special science program to support this effort and help students prepare for international assessments, such as the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The Department of Education aims to prepare Filipino students to compete more effectively in reading, mathematics, and science, as the nation continues to lag behind others in these subjects. Through these initiatives, Angara envisions a future where Filipino students are globally competitive and ready to make positive contributions to the country.
