As part of broader efforts to support learners and strengthen teacher development across the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Thursday, March 5, that it is advancing reforms in its DepEd voucher program while introducing improvements to its DepEd classroom observation system.

In a statement, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said the department is engaging private education partners to improve the implementation of the Senior High School voucher program and ensure that the initiative continues to benefit eligible learners.

These DepEd reforms aim to ensure smoother voucher delivery for students while strengthening instructional support systems for teachers in both public and private schools.

“Sa ngayon, nakatutok tayo sa pagpapabuti at pagpapalawig ng implementasyon ng ating voucher programs sa bansa (At present, we are focused on improving and expanding the implementation of our voucher programs in the country),” Angara said.

“And it begins with meaningful conversations with our leaders in private education institutions to ensure that our priorities are aligned in implementing the program,” he added.

The discussions took place during the 351st meeting of the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), where DepEd officials and private education leaders explored ways to further strengthen collaboration between the government and the private education sector.

The meeting focused on ensuring that the implementation of the Senior High School voucher program remains transparent and free from corruption.

DepEd also emphasized that new guidelines under the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) will prioritize learners from middle-income and low-income households.

Among those who attended the meeting were Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines President Fr. Karel S. San Juan, SJ; PEAC Regional Secretariat XI Regional Program Director Sr. Ma. Marissa R. Viri, RVM; school heads from GASTPE-participating schools in Davao; and other officers and trustees of regional education associations.

Aside from voucher program reforms, Angara also convened members of DepEd’s National Management Committee to discuss improvements to classroom teaching observations for public school teachers.

DepEd said it is currently developing a policy under the Teacher Growth and Performance framework that aims to enhance the observation system while minimizing unnecessary stress among educators.

Under the proposed framework, teacher performance evaluation in the Philippines will be assessed through four key components: Learner Evidence, Professional Artifacts, Collaboration and Professional Engagement, and a Single Classroom Observation.

Each component will carry a 25 percent weight in the overall evaluation, ensuring that no single measure disproportionately determines a teacher’s performance rating.

DepEd said the proposed policy seeks to promote teachers’ professional growth, ensure fairness in evaluation, manage workload effectively, and ultimately improve learning outcomes in schools.

“Muli, patuloy tayong magsusulong ng mga polisiya at programa para sa ikabubuti ng ating mga kaguruan (Once again, we will continue to advance policies and programs for the benefit of our teachers),” Angara said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., he added, has also “emphasized time and again the need to protect the welfare of our teachers—and we remain steadfast in carrying out this directive.”