From Remediation to Retention: Assessing the Effectiveness of Academic Support Systems in a Local College Math Education Program

This study investigated the relationship between institutionalized remediation practices and the academic performance of Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics (BSED Math) students at City College of Calapan. Notwithstanding the long-standing support systems—including Consultation Hours, Math-Tulong Tutorials, and Guidance Counseling—the persistent existence of academic difficulties and low course completion rates in mathematics reinforced the need to evaluate the interventions’ effectiveness. The study employed a descriptive-correlational and comparative research design. The requisite data were gathered through validated survey instruments administered to 108 third- and fourth-year BSED Math students who had been recipient of the remediation pratices. Academic performance was evaluated on the basis of final grades in core mathematics subjects, specifically in Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, and Statistics. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s r correlation, and independent samples t-tests were used to analyze the association between remediation exposure and academic achievements. The results revealed a compelling positive correlation between Consultation Hours and academic performance, a relatively robust relationship for Math-Tulong Tutorials, and a moderate but significant connection for Guidance Counseling. Fourth-year students exhibited significantly higher mathematics performance than their third-year counterparts, establishing a persuasive manifestation of cumulative benefits emergent from sustained remediation exposure. Nevertheless, positive outcomes do not reflect efficient utility of mediation, for findings indicated underutilization of services and deficient coordination, particularly arising from the counseling domain. The study recommended a Contextualized Enhanced Remediation Program (CERP) to be further developed as the IMPACT Program, intending to consolidate and strengthen remediation through an integrated, structured, and data-driven approach. The study reveals that while current interventions yield academic benefits, a more holistic, organized and adaptive remediation framework is essential to improve outcomes and support student retention in the mathematics teacher education degree program.