PISA-Scientific Literacy and Regional Socio-Demographics: A Causal-Comparative Study

Abstract

This study determined the relationship between regional PISA-scientific literacy and socio-demographics in the Philippines, specifically in terms of household-related socio-demographics, school-related socio-demographics, regional competitiveness, and regional budget allocation on education. Utilizing quantitative descriptive causal-comparative research to explore the association between 2018 PISA scientific literacy scores and socio-demographic profiles of each region in the Philippines. The data were obtained from various government agencies such as the Department of Education, the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Trade and Industry. It was revealed that certain regions in the Philippines had higher or lower scores in PISA-scientific literacy and that these scores were associated with various socio-demographics. Specifically, socio-demographics related to household conveniences, showed a significant correlation with PISA-scientific literacy score. It was also found a moderate positive correlation between PISA-scientific literacy score and school-student ratio, as well as in the regional budget allocation on education. In conclusion, this study provided valuable insights into the factors that influence PISA-scientific literacy in the Philippines and highlighted the need for concerted efforts to address the challenges faced by the education sector in the country. As suggested that interventions should be implemented to address poverty incidence among families, promote equitable access to technologies that aid learning and socialization, and enhance the school environment experience that fosters better learner socialization and interaction during growing diversity of learners. It was recommended to emphasize the importance of allocating equitable budget on education across regions and redirecting education intervention efforts to least performing regions in terms of PISA-scientific literacy.