Makati City’s investment in innovative and inclusive learning interventions before and during the pandemic paid off following the recent “exceptional” performance of Benigno Ninoy Aquino High School (BNAHS) in the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
“Considering that there had been no face-to-face classes for over two years when the test was conducted, this achievement speaks volumes of the success of Makati’s innovative and inclusive programs for our public school students,” Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay said.
BNAHS, the only Makati public school selected to participate in the international test, was the lone public school in Metro Manila to pass Level 2.
Binay said prior to the pandemic, the city had invested P31 million for the full implementation of Project MILES (Mathematics Intensive Learning Enhancement for Students) for Grades 1 to 10 during School Year 2019-2020 following its successful pilot launch in 2018.
No fees were charged to students since the city paid for the honoraria of over 700 teachers who handled onsite and on-line sessions, the subscription of Math software Koobits popular in Singapore, and the learning materials of students.
“Unlike some private sector-led learning interventions like MTAP which require a fee from participants, Project MILES promoted inclusivity as it was free for everyone who needed or wanted to hone their skills in Mathematics. It also helped familiarize students with e-learning, making it easier for them to adapt to online classes when the pandemic struck,” she said.
Under Project MILES, students received intervention to enhance their numeracy skills through Saturday classes and 100 percent access to free learning materials locally developed by Department of Education-Makati with full funding from the city government.
Binay also cited innovative measures implemented by the city at the height of the pandemic when in-person classes had to be stopped abruptly.