WHILE conducting a review of the K to 12 curriculum, the Department of Education yesterday said it has partnered with the National Network of Normal Schools to provide “high-quality” training for public school teachers in the country.
DepEd Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development Gloria Jumamil-Mercado said this was reached when the department, through the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) and Teacher Education Council Secretariat (TECS), recently convened with the National Network of Normal Schools (3Ns).
“I have so much respect for State Universities being a product of public school. When I came to DepEd, I said that we’ll make it a policy that starting 2023 we will be working very closely with the Normal Schools,” Jumamil-Mercado said.
The convergence, according to the official, was in line with the ‘Give Support to Teachers to Teach Better’ of the MATATAG Agenda under the Marcos administration.
“Furthermore, this is also aligned with the passage of RA 11713, also known as the Excellence in Teacher Education Act, which strengthens ties between and among the concerned government agencies and unifies the interests of various stakeholders in teacher education in the Philippines,” she added.
She said the convergence also aims to co-develop the Professional Development Curriculum for teachers and school leaders, provide updates concerning in-service teachers, and orient the 3Ns on Education Futures.
The member universities of the 3Ns include the Philippine Normal University, Bicol University, Bukidnon State University, Cebu Normal University, Leyte Normal University, Mariano Marcos State University, Palawan State University, Pangasinan State University, West Mindanao State University, West Visayas State University, and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte, in her Basic Education Report 2023 last January 30, said the ongoing assessment of the K to 12 curriculum revealed the “weak teaching methods” of teachers in addressing 21st century skills.
Duterte said studies conducted by the World Bank, UNICEF and the Research Center for Teacher Quality showed that Filipino teachers need further support, particularly in “strategically teaching critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
But she said it is not the fault of the teachers whose dedication, integrity and commitment to Filipino learners are beyond reproach.
“The sad reality is that the system has failed them. This is the system that burdens them with backbreaking and time-consuming administrative tasks, a system that provides no adequate support and robs them of the opportunity to professionally grow and professionally teach, “ she said.
She added that various initiatives to further capacitate teachers have been implemented, with 15,331 teachers receiving graduate scholarships, 17,636 given early grade language literacy while 161,700 have undergone trainings organized by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines.
