THE Philippine Business for Education urged the education department to reinforce the provision of comprehensive training and well-developed instructional materials to support teachers.

“Empowering teachers to master their subject matter not only demands an upskilling in pedagogical approaches but they must also be provided with the right resource materials,” PBEd Deputy Executive Director for Programs Hanibal Camua said.

“As we adapt to changes in the educational landscape, it’s essential to invest in both professional development and access to quality teaching resources,” he said.

The World Bank report “Fixing the Foundation: Teachers and Basic Education in East Asia and Pacific” found that the lack of subject mastery and ineffective teaching practices have contributed to the country’s high learning poverty rate.

Through its civic education project Sibika.ph, PBEd partnered with the Department of Education Region VI to conduct capacity-building workshops among 100 teachers to beef up their training on civic engagement and help students grasp the significance of civic education.

“We want to highlight the vital role of our teachers in raising civic awareness and engagement by providing them with the necessary resources and expertise in teaching civic education. This will also ensure that the next generation are well-prepared to embrace democratic values and are actively engaged in nation-building,” Camua said.

Sibika.ph has developed 17 DepEd-certified learning modules for the Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics subject in senior high school, complemented by videos and assessment tools. These materials will be distributed in different schools division offices in Western Visayas.