Reaffirming its dedication to advancing teacher education in the country, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) formalized a partnership with the Philippine Normal University (PNU) during a signing ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee, during the ceremony, underscored the need for teachers to collaborate in reforming the education system.
“The reforms that our teachers want are the reforms that we want,” Yee said.
He added that PNU has been supporting significant reforms in education. “Your participation and your invaluable support really show how important teacher education is in our education system,” Yee said.
As part of the partnership, PNU will lead research initiatives in pre-service teacher education.
This includes developing a senior high school track for education, creating a differentiated pre-service teacher education curriculum with a focus on experiential learning, re-evaluating the Certificate in Teaching Program, and conducting a thorough review of graduate programs.
The collaboration will be managed through PNU's Research Institute for Teacher Quality (RITQ).
EDCOM 2’s Year One Report identified major challenges in teacher education. A key issue highlighted is that many teachers are not sufficiently equipped to manage the specific content and skills needed for their assigned subjects, which affects the overall quality of education students receive in the classroom.
Earlier this year, EDCOM 2 emphasized the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) amendment to Section 25 of CMO Nos. 74 to 80 and 82, series of 2017.
This amendment introduces quality assurance mechanisms for Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) and mandates that institutions consistently underperforming in the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) or failing to meet CHED’s minimum standards will receive a notice of immediate closure.
In addition to advancing pre-service education, PNU will conduct research initiatives aimed at enhancing Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs). This includes profiling teacher educators and upskilling them to better align with the needs of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Yee also expressed concerns about the role of TEIs in basic education: “Are our teacher education curricula—at both undergraduate and graduate levels—aligned and relevant to the needs of our teachers and students in the Department of Education?”
Meanwhile, PNU President Dr. Bert J. Tuga committed to supporting EDCOM 2 in addressing key areas in teacher education and development.
“We are very happy that you have partnered with us,” Tuga said. “On behalf of my colleagues and the whole PNU, we are committed to sharing our resources and our expertise to come up with innovative solutions to the issues and problems related to our education system,” he added.
Tuga also expressed hope that the partnership will lead to a “more positive view” of EDCOM’s first report by its third year, with a focus on providing more evidence-based recommendations to address education-related issues.