Gatchalian seeks to increase centers of excellence for teacher education

Senator Win Gatchalian is eyeing more centers of excellence that will boost the quality of education and training for the country's aspiring teachers.

In a Senate panel hearing, non-profit organization Philippine Business for Education (PBED) reported that there are only 74 centers of excellence and development among 1,572 Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in the country.

According to Gatchalian, the government should not simply wait for TEIs' application to become centers of excellence. He cited the case of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV) which has yet to apply for the recognition despite being included in the top ten performing institutions in licensure examinations for the past five years.

PLV also produced topnotchers of Licensure Examinations for Teachers (LET) such as Kier Araulo Baugbog who topped the March 2018 licensure exams for the secondary level. Nicko Tumala, another PLV alumnus, ranked fourth in the March 2017 LET for secondary, while Christian Torres Pantoja is one of those who landed on the top nine spot during the September 2015 LET for elementary.

"The government should be proactive in looking for and promoting these centers of excellence which, in effect, will attract the best teachers to go to those centers of excellence," said the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

"If the government will not be proactive, those centers of excellence will not grow and increase," he added.

Gatchalian explained that the role of the Teacher of Education Council (TEC) is crucial in increasing the number of centers of excellence for teacher education. The TEC was formed in 1994 under Republic Act No. 7784 to formulate policies on strengthening and improving the quality of teacher education in the country. It is also mandated to identify and designate centers of excellence for teacher education.

A center of excellence is mandated to experiment and try out relevant and innovative teacher education and training programs from pre-service to in-service. Pre-service refers to the education for aspiring teachers while in-service training is for those who are already working as teachers.

Centers of excellence are also tasked to organize and coordinate collaborative research to help improve teacher education programs. These centers should also serve as a teacher resource center for curricular and instructional materials development.

Gatchalian recently filed Senate Bill No. 1887, which aims to strengthen and reform the TEC to foster stronger links between teachers' pre-service and in-service education, which would entail better collaboration between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The lawmaker emphasized that these reforms are all about improving teacher quality and education as basic inputs for better learner outcomes, citing the dismal results of the 2018 Programmme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the poor showing of Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) takers.

The 2018 PISA results showed that out of 79 countries, the Philippines ranked lowest in Reading Comprehension and second lowest in Science and Mathematics. From 2014 to 2019, the average passing for the elementary teacher licensure examinations was only 28 percent and only 36 percent for the secondary level.

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Gatchalian: 'Centers of excellence' sa edukasyon itaguyod

Isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pagkakaroon ng mas mas maraming centers of excellence o sentro ng kahusayan na mag-aangat sa kalidad ng edukasyon at pagsasanay o training ng mga guro ng bansa.

Sa isang pandinig sa Senado, iniulat ng non-profit organization na Philippine Business for Education o PBED na sa halos isang libo at anim na raang (1,572) mga Teacher Education Institutions o TEIs ay wala pang walumpu (74) ang nahirang na 'centers of excellence and development'.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, dapat ang gobyerno ang mismong manguna sa pagtatalaga ng mga centers of excellence para sa edukasyon ng mga guro. Ibinahagi niyang halimbawa ang Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela na hindi pa naman nagsusumite ng aplikasyon para maging ganap na center of excellence samantalang ang naturang pamantasan ay isa sa may pinakamataas na marka sa licensure examinations ng nagdaang limang taon.

Nagtapos din mula sa PLV ang ilang mga topnotchers ng Licensure Examination for Teachers o LET tulad ni Kier Araulo Baugbog na nakakuha ng pinamakataas na marka para sa sekondarya noong Marso 2018. Nakuha naman ni Nicko Tumala ang pang-apat na pinakamataas na marka sa LET ng sekondarya noong Marso 2017. Isa naman si Christian Torres Pantoja sa mga top nine para sa LET ng elementary noong Setyembre 2015.

"Dapat magkaroon ng kusa ang ating pamahalaan sa pagtatalaga at pagtataguyod sa mga centers of excellence at hikayatin ang mga pinakamahusay na mga guro na maging bahagi nito," pahayag ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Ayon pa kay Gatchalian, mahalaga ang papel dito ng Teacher Education Council o TEC, lalo na't mandato nito ang magtalaga ng mga centers of excellence. Nabuo ang TEC noong 1994 sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 7784 upang magsulong ng mga polisiyang mag-aangat sa kalidad ng teacher education sa bansa.

Layon ng isang center of excellence na magkaroon ng mga masusing pag-aaral at pananaliksik upang mapahusay ang mga programa para sa edukasyon ng mga guro, mula sa kanilang pag-aaral sa kolehiyo hanggang sa mismong pagtungtong nila sa kanilang propesyon.

Kamakailan ay inihain ni Gatchalian ang Senate Bill No. 1887 upang magsulong ng mga reporma sa TEC at siguruhing ang edukasyon ng mga guro ay angkop sa pangangailangan ng Department of Education o DepEd.

Binigyang diin ng mambabatas na napapanahong suriin ang kalidad ng edukasyon ng mga guro kasunod na rin ng mababang passing rate ng mga kumuha ng LET nitong mga nagdaang taon. Sabi ni Gatchalian, ito marahil ang isang malaking dahilan kung bakit hindi maganda ang naging resulta ng 2018 Programmme for International Student Assessment o PISA. Sinuri nito ang performance ng mga mag-aaral at sa halos walumpung (79) bansa, ang Pilipinas ang may pinakamababang marka sa Reading Comprehension at pangalawang pinakamababa sa Science at Mathematics.

Samantala, simula 2014 hanggang 2019, ang average passing rate naman para sa licensure examination ng mga guro sa elementary ay wala pang tatlumpung (28) porsyento at wala pang apatnapung (36) porsiyento sa secondary level.