DepEd national tests underestimated students is a concern raised by a new study from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). The research suggests that many Filipino students may actually know more than what the Department of Education’s (DepEd) national tests show. This is because of the way proficiency is measured in these exams.

In this article, I will explain the study in simple language that a Grade 10 student can easily understand. I will also use key terms like PIDS study, proficiency cutoff, and DepEd tests so the article is easy to find on search engines.

What Are the DepEd National Tests?

The DepEd tests are exams given to students across the Philippines. These include:

• Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Assessment (ELLNA) — for Grade 3 students
• National Achievement Test (NAT) — for Grades 6, 10, and 12
• Other tests like National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE), PEPT, A&E Test, and more

The tests are meant to check how well students learn the skills expected at their grade level.

How Does DepEd Decide if a Student Passed?

DepEd uses a proficiency cutoff of 75 percent. This means:

• If a student scores 75% or higher, they are considered proficient.
• If a student scores below 75%, they are labeled as “low proficient” or “nearly proficient.”

This cutoff of 75% has been used for many years. However, the PIDS study says this number is not based on the actual difficulty of the test or the curriculum.

What Did the PIDS Study Find?

The PIDS study suggests that many students may be unfairly labeled as failing or less skilled. Here are the main findings:

1. The Proficiency Cutoff May Be Too High

Instead of using a standard method to decide the cutoff, DepEd uses the fixed 75% mark.

The PIDS study says this number:

• Is not tied to what the curriculum expects students to know
• Doesn’t take the difficulty of test questions into account

Because of this, students who actually show the skills expected for their grade may still be below the cutoff.

2. More Students Might Be Proficient Than Reported

When the researchers used a different, standard-setting method, they found:

• More students reached the proficient level
• Many students labeled “nearly proficient” could be called proficient under better standards

This is why the study says DepEd national tests underestimated students.

3. Tests May Be Misaligned With the Curriculum

The study also pointed out that national assessments sometimes don’t match what students are taught in class.

Teachers may:

• Lack training on how to teach 21st-century skills
• Find it hard to evaluate new types of questions

So even if students learn the right skills, the test might not measure them correctly.

Why This Matters

If the school system uses the wrong cutoff:

• Teachers and parents may think students are doing worse than they actually are
• Students may lose confidence
• Decisions about teaching methods and resources may be based on wrong data

Accurate assessment helps:

• Students grow in the right direction
• Teachers improve their instruction
• Schools make better plans

What Should Change?

According to the PIDS study, DepEd could improve national tests by:

✔ Using Standard Setting Methods

This means the cutoff should be decided based on:

• Test difficulty
• Curriculum expectations
• What students are actually able to do at each grade level

✔ Training Teachers Better

Teachers need to learn how to:

• Teach new skills
• Prepare students for different types of questions

This can help students perform better and show their real learning.

✔ Align Tests With Curriculum

Tests should measure exactly what students are taught in class. This alignment makes results more accurate and fair.

What the Results Showed

The most recent scores from the NAT (2024–2025) are not yet public. But last year:

• Grade 6 students had a mean score of 57.94%
• This includes core subjects and 21st-century skills

Because of the tough 75% cutoff, this low average made it appear that students did poorly. But the PIDS study suggests the real picture may be better.

Conclusion

The idea that DepEd national tests underestimated students is based on real research. The PIDS study shows that the proficiency cutoff of 75% may not be fair or accurate. It suggests that many Filipino students know more than current test results show.

To improve fairness, DepEd might need to:

• Change the way it sets cutoffs
• Train teachers in new assessment methods
• Align the tests better with what students learn

If these changes happen, students may get a more accurate score that shows what they really know.