SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian called anew for the effective implementation of the Excellence in Teacher Education Act or Republic Act No.11713, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to the Department of Education to improve teaching quality following the results of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment.

The Excellence in Teacher Education Act, which Gatchalian authored and sponsored during the 18th Congress, revamps the Teacher Education Council by strengthening coordination between the DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Professional Regulation Commission to ensure coherence between pre-service and in-service teacher education programs.

The TEC is also mandated to set minimum requirements for teacher education programs.

While Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Duterte committed that the new Teacher Education Council and Secretariat will be fully functional, Gatchalian also pointed out the importance of implementing other provisions such as the designation, identification development, and establishment of Teacher Education Centers of Excellence in all regions.

Teacher Education Centers of Excellence have established and continue to maintain an excellent track record in teacher education and have produced top-caliber graduates.

Between 2018 and 2022, data from PISA showed an increase in the percentage of Filipino students in schools that lack teaching staff and with inadequate or poorly qualified teaching staff, based on the reports of principals.

In 2022, 43% of students were in schools that lacked teaching staff while 19% were in schools with inadequate or poorly qualified teaching staff.

In 2018, the corresponding proportions were 19% and 8%.

The 2024 General Appropriations Act or Republic Act No. 11975 has also allotted P777.5 billion for the in-service training of teachers, administrators, and education support personnel.

The allocation also covers the training of K to 10 teachers for the implementation of the MATATAG curriculum which, according to Gatchalian, should be aligned with teacher education programs.

“Ang Excellence in Teacher Education Act ay isang mahalagang reporma para iangat ang kalidad ng edukasyon at pagsasanay para sa ating mga guro. Sa pagtitiyak ng administrasyon na magkaroon ng mahuhusay na mga guro, kailangang siguruhing maipatupad nang maayos ang batas,” said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.