Press Release
October 16, 2020

Gatchalian sounds alarm on low teacher licensure exam results; cites need to improve teacher education

Senator Win Gatchalian sounded the alarm on the low passing rates of the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) as he reiterated the need to improve the quality of teacher education and training in the country.

In a Senate panel hearing, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Board for Professional Teachers Chairman Dr. Rosita Navarro shared that from 2014-2017, the passing rate was 48.86 percent for first-time LET takers for the secondary level. At the elementary level, the passing rate among first-time LET takers for the same period was 30.65 percent. For both elementary and secondary levels, the passing rate was at 43.44 percent.

Last year's passing rates were equally dismal. For elementary, the passing rate for those who took the LET in March 2019 was 27.29 percent and 31.34 percent for those who took the licensure exams in September 2019. For the secondary level, the passing rate for LET takers in March 2019 was 25.95 percent and 39.69 percent for those who took the September 2019 licensure exams.

"At the end of the day, what we want is better outcomes for our learners. Better outcomes come from better inputs, and teacher quality and teacher education are part of those better inputs," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Gatchalian recalled the results of the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which revealed that among 79 countries, the Philippines ranked lowest in Reading Comprehension and second lowest in Science and Mathematics. The PISA results were released in late 2019.

For the lawmaker, the key to addressing teacher education woes is aligning teachers' pre-service education with the needs of the Department of Education (DepEd), the biggest end-user of graduates of Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs). Pre-service education refers to teachers' training before they become classroom teachers.

Gatchalian's Senate Resolution No. 526 seeks to ascertain the challenges and limitations affecting the quality of teacher education and training and the performance of TEIs so that efforts can be directed towards strengthening the pre-service and in-service programs that are responsive to the demands of the 21st century.

A study by the World Bank Group and Australian Aid showed that except for English elementary teachers, the average elementary or high school teacher in the Philippines could correctly answer fewer than half of questions on subject content tests.

"DepEd has almost 85 percent of our students and close to 75 percent of our teachers. So my analysis is that if we fix and strengthen our public school system, we strengthen the entire country," said Gatchalian.

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Kalidad ng edukasyon ng mga guro dapat i-angat - Gatchalian

Kasunod ng mababang passing rate sa Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) nitong mga nakaraang taon, binigyang-diin ni Senador Win Gatchalian na dapat i-angat ang kalidad ng pagtuturo at pagsasanay para sa mga guro.

Sa isang pandinig sa Senado, ibinahagi ni Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Board for Professional Teachers Chairman Dr. Rosita Navarro na wala pang limampung porsyento (48.86%) ang average passing rate para sa mga kumuha ng LET sa unang pagkakataon mula 2014 hanggang 2017.

Kahit noong nakaraang taon ay mababa ang naitalang passing rate para sa mga kumuha ng LET. Sa elementary level, ang passing rate para sa mga kumuha ng LET noong Marso 2019 ay wala pang tatlumpung porsyento (27.29%) habang mahigit tatlumpung porsyento (31.24%) lamang ang mga nakapasa noong Setyembre ng nakaraang taon. Para naman sa secondary level, ang passing rate para sa mga kumuha ng LET noong Marso 2019 ay dalawampu't limang porsyento lamang (25.95%) at halos apatnapung porsyento (39.69%) lang para sa mga kumuha nito nong Setyembre.

"Sa bandang huli, nais nating maging mahusay ang ating mga mag-aaral kaya importante na mataas din ang kalidad ng edukasyon ng mga guro," pahayag ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Matatandaang naging malaking dagok sa sektor ng edukasyon noong lumabas ang mababang resulta ng Pilipinas sa 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment. Sa mga mag-aaral na sumabak mula 79 na bansa, ang mga mag-aaral natin ang nakakuha ng may pinakamababang marka sa Reading Comprehension at pangalawang pinakamababa pagdating sa Science at Mathematics.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, mahalagang gawing angkop ang edukasyon ng mga guro sa pangangailangan ng Department of Education (DepEd), lalo na't karamihan sa mga nagtatapos ng Teacher Education Institutions o TEIs ay nagiging guro sa mga pampublikong paaralan.

Nang ihain ni Gatchalian ang Senate Resolution No. 526, layon niyang matukoy ang mga hamong kinakaharap ng kalidad ng "teacher education and training". Layunin din niyang masuri ang performance ng mga TEIs upang mapatatag ang edukasyon ng mga guro at gawin silang handa sa mga pangangailangan ng ika-21 siglo.

Lumabas din sa isang pag-aaral ng World Bank Group at Australian Aid na maliban sa mga English elementary teachers sa Pilipinas, ang isang pangkaraniwang guro sa elementarya at high school sa bansa ay hirap sumagot sa ilang tanong ng content tests.

"Nasa ilalim ng DepEd ang walumpu't limang porsyento ng ating mga mag-aaral at pitumpu't limang porsyento ng ating mga guro. Kung maayos natin ang ating mga pampublikong paaralan, maiaangat natin ang buong bansa," pagdidiin ni Gatchalian.

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