Primary Competencies of Grade 5 Learners in Mathematics: Basis for a Proposed Intervention Program

AUTHOR(S)

MARK ANGELO R. MAGTIBAY

ABSTRACT

— The study analyzed the comparative results of the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) in Mathematics from End of School Year (EOSY) 2023–2024 to EOSY 2024–2025, focusing on Grade 5 learners as the primary beneficiaries. Using the STAR approach—Situation, Tasks, Actions, and Results—the study highlights the progression of learners’ mastery levels and the effectiveness of intervention programs implemented within the school year. In the Situation, EOSY 2023–2024 results revealed that most Grade 5 learners had Low to Average mastery, with scores ranging from 13% to 70%. Learners experienced major difficulties in solving routine and non-routine multi-step problems involving subtraction, multiplication, and division. This situation raised concern over their readiness for higher mathematical skills. The Task was to design and implement instructional strategies to address these gaps and raise the learners’ mastery levels. The goal was to move at least 70% of learners from Low to Average or higher mastery, particularly in competencies that require critical thinking and problem-solving. For the Actions, teachers employed targeted interventions such as contextualized worksheets, the Step-Up Remediation Program, guided step-by-step problem-solving sessions, visual aids like bar models and diagrams, and small-group remediation classes. These actions were designed to simplify complex operations and improve learners’ comprehension through real-life contextualization of mathematical problems. The Results revealed a remarkable improvement in EOSY 2024–2025, with mastery levels increasing to 76%–88% in most competencies. Significant gains were noted in subtraction and division, where scores improved from as low as 13%–22% to 76%–85%. While multi-step operations involving multiplication and division remained at the Average level (53%–55%), learners demonstrated steady progress and movement towards mastery. In conclusion, the study affirms that focused interventions and contextualized learning strategies substantially improved the mathematical proficiency of Grade 5 learners. Sustaining and enhancing these approaches will be vital in helping more learners transition from Average to Mastery in future assessments. Keywords — formative assessment, data-driven intervention, learning competencies