THE DEPARTMENT of Education, through the National Educators Academy of the Philippines and Teacher Education Council Secretariat, met with the National Network of Normal Schools to discuss the provision of quality professional development programs and courses for teachers and school leaders.

The event was in line with the “Give support to teachers to teach better” of the MATATAG Agenda.

It was also aligned with Republic Act 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.

“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, especially with the passage of RA 11713,” Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado said.

“We will be ensuring that most of our partners on the ground would be part of the complementation and convergence between DepEd and Normal Schools and other schools that are considered Center of Excellence and Center of Development in Teacher Education. We will continue working together,” Jumamil-Mercado added.

The convergence also aimed 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 meeting was participated in by 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 Polytechnic University of the Philippines.