Latest reports from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and World Bank ranked the Philippines as one of the countries struggling the most with basic literacy, basic numeracy, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) delivery.

The World Bank Report, as published in Singapore’s The Straits Times, showed that the Philippines had the highest percentage of learning poverty, with 90% of Filipino children aged 10 struggling to read simple text.

Recognizing the urgent need to better equip teachers in the delivery of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, the National Teachers College (NTC) has teamed up with Globe in kicking off the IT academy program this school year.

To further empower and enable schools to enhance the delivery of STEM Education at all levels, the Globe IT Academy has become a crucial step in driving the country’s global education standing.

Responding to call for development of competitive Filipinos

The academy’s program is responsive to the new administration’s call for the development of competitive Filipino talent fit for an increasingly borderless employment landscape amid growing digitalization across the globe.

To get things running, Globe and NTC carried out in August a train-the-trainers certification workshop on progressive approaches to STEM delivery in the classroom.

As the main participant for the pilot launch, NTC handpicked educators who will be specializing in Math and Science for both the K+12 and college levels.

Founded in 1928, NTC is the first Philippine private school dedicated to teacher education. It has a long track record of commitment to excellence in teaching, growth, and inclusion.

“As an agile and innovative teacher education institution, the National Teachers College is committed to working with like-minded partners that offer relevant, disruptive, and game-changing professional development programs,” NTC Vice President for Academic Affairs Edizon Fermin said.

Fermin added that NTC’s partnership with Globe for STEM Teacher Training and Digital Citizenship is “our way of ensuring the enhancement of the competence and confidence of our teachers especially as they transition to the better normal.”

Improving STEM delivery in classrooms

Meanwhile, Globe said that it intends to work with NTC in the long-term to expand the IT Academy program to more schools ---- especially state colleges and universities determined to improve STEM delivery in the classroom.

“While there are a lot of highly-skilled and committed teachers in the country, the upskilling of teachers to take on the modalities of learning should be addressed,” Globe’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Yoly Crisanto said.

Crisanto said that in today's digital environment, students must be encouraged to be creative and engaged. “This can be done if teachers are empowered with more technical teaching resources,” she explained, adding that Globe is “committed to do its part to equip our educators through teacher training, tech support, and more.”

The Globe IT Academy is supported by Globe’s training partner, Mano Amiga Philippines.

Mano Amiga empowers people and communities through education and development programs focused on enabling every individual to achieve their fullest potential. They develop training programs that are crafted based on the teacher’s skill level and the student's educational needs.

Through training, teachers can look after the students and their well-being and ensure that students are not just taking in information, but learning important life skills they will need to thrive and succeed in the future.

The recent workshop covered lessons on Futures Thinking, an approach to strategic planning and design, and the use of Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) as a teaching and learning tool to nurture critical thinking, better self-awareness, and build on many other interpersonal skills.

"Innovative solutions arise from a profound understanding of the world and the factors that shape it,” Mano Amiga Philippines Executive Director Lynn Pinugu said.

Futures Thinking and Social Emotional Learning, Pinugu added, are “essential tools for STEM teachers to develop the necessary skills and mindset among their students with the goal of empowering them to address real-world challenges by combining mastery of STEM concepts with creativity, empathy, and strategic foresight.”

Meanwhile, Crisanto noted that the Globe IT Academy Program and the partnership with the NTC are “meant to be the start” of many things to come.

“Better delivery of STEM is something that both Globe and NTC value a great deal,” Crisanto said. “And, we believe equipping our Filipino teachers is an important step towards addressing challenges that the education sector is currently facing,” she added.