Grade Inflation: Comparison of Competencies Among Public Schools Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim of this study is to find traces of grade inflation during the pandemic on selected public schools in the Division of Bulacan. This phenomenon has been an issue across educational institutions since there was an implemented leniency on assessments during this period. The researchers focused on the average performance of the schools in the mathematics subject, which came from two different school years: prior and during the pandemic. Data was analyzed using frequency distribution and descriptive statistics. Then, the grade differences between the two time periods were analyzed using a paired t-test. Findings reveal a significant increase in the general average of the mathematics subject per school, which jumped from 87.93 to 91.7. Implications include a possible existence of grade inflation towards the public schools. The researchers suggest that students that will graduate during the pandemic period may not be as competent as their previous predecessors.