Filipino Students Among Lowest in Global Creative Thinking Assessment, PISA Reveals

Filipino students rank among the lowest globally in creative thinking, as revealed by the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Fifteen-year-olds in the Philippines averaged a score of 14 in the creative thinking assessment, placing the country in the bottom four out of 64 countries. This was the first PISA cycle to evaluate students’ imaginative and creative skills.

The Philippines shares its low ranking with Albania, Uzbekistan, and Morocco, all of which scored similarly. The OECD average for creative thinking is 33, significantly higher than the Philippines’ mean score. Leading countries include Singapore (41), Korea (38), Canada (38), Australia (37), and New Zealand (36).

A stark contrast exists between the highest and lowest performers. Only 3.4% of Filipino students achieved Level 5 proficiency, compared to 30% of Singaporean students. Additionally, no Singaporean students scored at the lowest proficiency level, while a third of Filipino students did.

Despite these results, the Philippines exhibited the highest score improvement linked to student curiosity. Students who expressed a strong desire to learn new things scored higher in creative thinking. About 81% of Filipino students agreed they liked learning new things, showcasing a potential area for fostering improvement.

Philippine students also remain among the weakest in math, reading, and science, with no significant improvement since 2018. The Department of Education is expected to address these issues to enhance fundamental competencies and boost students’ confidence, which could, in turn, improve creative thinking skills.