Identifying Conceptual Gaps: An Analysis of Least Mastered Competencies in Balancing Chemical Equations

The study aimed to assess senior high school learners’ conceptual understanding in balancing chemical equations by determining their scores on a needs assessment and identifying the least mastered competencies. Data were collected from 50 purposively selected students from Iligan City East National High School using a 30-item validated multiple-choice questionnaire aligned with the Department of Education’s Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs). Quantitative methods, including mean, frequency, and standard deviation, were used for analysis. Findings revealed that 10% of learners scored within the “Did Not Meet Expectation” range, 70% in the “Fairly Satisfactory” range, and 20% in the “Satisfactory” range, with no learners achieving higher performance levels, indicating that no learner met the minimum required benchmarks for passing. Analysis of topic-specific performance showed that “Applying Law of Conservation of Mass in Chemical Equations” was the least mastered competency, with a mean percentage score (MPS) of 58.10%, which falls under the “Low Mastery” level. These findings confirm significant gaps in foundational chemistry knowledge and emphasize the need for strategic instructional support and targeted intervention to enhance learner understanding in these critical areas of chemistry.