The Philippines closed schools for two and a half years during the pandemic. After fully reopening in November 2022, it became clear that many students had fallen behind. The decline in English proficiency – the country's second official language – is particularly serious, impacting performance in science, math and other subjects that use English. During the closures, classes were held remotely, largely depending on large volumes of printed worksheets for solo study and leaving any students who got stuck without anyone to assist them. Two teachers have started holding free classes for reading and writing aimed at students struggling with English. Discover how educators in the Philippines are working to regain what was lost during the pandemic.