The Department of Education (DepEd) denied allegations of implementing an “auto-pass” policy in public schools, clarifying that no such directive exists.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara made the statement amid growing concerns over the automatic promotion of students despite performance issues. He emphasized that while some areas may have experienced instances of mass promotion, there is no official policy mandating it.
He acknowledged, however, that some local cases of mass promotion have occurred, which he intends to address as part of broader reforms.
Angara stressed the need to review and reform existing systems to address learning gaps, especially in fundamental skills such as reading and writing.
Currently, DepEd is conducting a comprehensive review of its policies on student assessment, remediation, and promotion. The goal is to establish clearer criteria for student progress, implement more effective remedial programs, and introduce a fair mechanism to evaluate readiness for the next academic level.
