SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday urged the Teacher Education Council to ensure that teacher education and training programs are aligned with the new MATATAG K to 10 curriculum.

Gatchalian made the call after the launch of the decongested curriculum, which focuses on foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy as well as values education and peace competencies.

From 11,700 learning competencies, the new curriculum reduces the total number of learning competencies to 3,644.

Learning competencies are the knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes that students need to demonstrate in every lesson and/or learning activity.

“Dahil ang ating mga guro ang may pinakamahalagang papel sa pagkatuto ng mga kabataan, kailangang tiyakin nating ang kanilang edukasyon at pagsasanay ay akma at tugma sa mga dapat nilang ituro sa ilalim ng bagong K to 10 curriculum,” Gatchalian said.

In preparing teachers for the rollout of the curriculum, Gatchalian cited the role of the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippine, the DepEd’s professional development arm.

While the NEAP is mandated to provide quality professional development programs for in-service teachers, school leaders, and other teaching-related personnel, Gatchalian said that teachers’ preparation for rolling out the K to 10 curriculum should start during pre-service teacher education.

Under the Excellence in Teacher Education Act, the revamped TEC will strengthen the coordination between the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Professional Regulation Commission.

The TEC is also mandated to set basic requirements for teacher education programs and ensure their coherence from pre-service to in-service.