Making reforms truly transform: the case of Philippine basic education

In 1925, Yale professor George Counts observed key problems in Philippine basic education that, sadly, resonate with the issues plaguing the Philippine education system. Half of the school-aged children in the 1920s were outside the reach of schools. Pupil performance was generally low in subjects that relied on English although achievement in math and science was at par with the average performance of American school children. The functional literacy of children in schools left much to be desired, constraining learning in later grades.