Rommel C. Banlaoi | September 16, 2026
Beyond territorial and maritime jurisdictional conflicts, the Philippines and China can cooperate in a sector that directly shapes national development and future competitiveness: education.
Results of the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) highlight a stark divergence. Chinese students from Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang once again dominated global rankings, leading in mathematics and science while placing second in reading. Their current achievements reflect systemic reforms, sustained investments, and equity-focused policies.
By contrast, the Philippines, though showing modest gains in reading, became the only country in the world where the gap between rich and poor students widened. The wealthiest improved by 41 points, while the poorest gained only 15, a troubling sign that inequality in education is really deepening.
This divergence underscores the urgency for Manila to rethink its education trajectory. Cooperation with China in education can offer a constructive, non-contentious avenue for engagement, one that can help the Philippines address its widening inequality, strengthen human capital, and build a more inclusive society. (Also read: Digital Diplomacy and Philippines-China Relations)
China’s curriculum emphasizes mastery of core competencies rather than superficial coverage of multiple subjects. This depth-over-breadth approach contrasts sharply with the Philippines’ overloaded K–12 (from Kindergarten to Grade 12) curriculum, which often sacrifices quality for quantity.
In collaboration with China, the Philippines can streamline its education system, focusing on essential skills in literacy, numeracy, and science. Moreover, China’s investment in teacher training offers an exemplary model for upgrading the Philippines’ teaching workforce that sadly remains underpaid and under-supported.
China has also cautiously integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into classrooms, ensuring that technology supplements rather than replaces traditional learning. In the Philippines, where digital distractions and uneven access to devices exacerbate inequality, collaboration with China could guide socially responsible use of AI in education. Joint research projects and pilot programs could help Filipino schools harness technology to support struggling learners, rather than widen the current digital divide.
China’s successful reforms have not only elevated top performers. It also reduced the proportion of low achievers. The Philippines faces the opposite challenge: its poorest students are being left behind.
Cooperation with China therefore could focus on targeted interventions for disadvantaged schools, drawing lessons from China’s resource allocation strategies. Academic exchange programs for teachers and administrators could expose Filipino educators to equity-oriented practices that prioritize rural and low-income communities.
Contrary to some views viewing education as China’s instrument for influence operations, sustained academic exchange can, in fact, strengthen the Philippine human capital, a prerequisite for competitiveness in science, technology, and innovation. It provides a non-contentious area of engagement with Beijing, which can effectively balance maritime disputes with constructive partnership. It promotes socio-economic inclusion, ensuring that education becomes a pivotal tool for national cohesion rather than social division.
To operationalize education cooperation, Manila should pursue several initiatives. Structured teacher-training exchanges can allow Filipino teachers to learn from Chinese counterparts, focusing on pedagogy, curriculum design, and classroom management. Expanded scholarship opportunities can give more Filipino students access to China’s world-class universities, particularly in the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). Joint research on AI in education can pilot learning tools tailored for Filipino classrooms. Targeted support for poorer schools, modeled after China’s resource allocation strategies, can ensure that rural and disadvantaged communities receive priority interventions.
The PISA 2025 results reveal not only the Philippines’ persistent educational weaknesses but also the growing inequality that threatens social stability. China’s success in education demonstrates that systemic reforms, sustained investment, and equity-focused policies can yield world-class outcomes.
By cooperating with China in education, the Philippines can bridge its learning gaps and empower its youth. In an era of geopolitical tension, education offers an alternative for constructive engagement, one that can serve Filipino interests and strengthen the foundations of Philippine society. (Also read: Mutual Respect Stabilizes Philippines–China Relations)
Rommel C. Banlaoi, PhD, is Director of the Philippines–China Studies Center at Diliman College, President of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies and former President of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies.