The imperative of teacher education and excellence
Attending the recent Excellence in Quality Assurance in Teacher Education (EQUATE) Awards was a timely reminder of how deeply intertwined teacher education is with the future of our youth, and of our nation. As our society faces a rapidly evolving technological and global landscape, it’s important to take a look at how we guide the hands that shape the next generation of Filipinos.
The EQUATE awards honored 120 out of the 1,553 Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in the country — the top 7.7% with a clear message: excellence in teacher education is not a given, it is earned through rigorous adherence to standards, consistent board exam performance, and a commitment to continuous improvement through accreditation.
“We come together today to recognize those HEIs who have gone above and beyond their mission to provide high-quality teacher education,” said CHED Chairperson J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera III.
As Atty. Cinderella Benitez-Jaro, CHED Executive Director, also rightly pointed out that the institutions awarded would serve as “the cornerstone for cultivating the teachers who will lead us closer to the vision of Bagong Pilipinas,” the current administration’s roadmap for the country’s development.
The challenge for teacher education
But beyond the applause and the photos, this occasion was also a moment of reflection. As Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said at the event, “we gather here not only to celebrate success, but also to reflect on the shared responsibility that each one of you bears in the task of advancing the quality of education in the Philippines.”
And at the very heart of this responsibility is the teacher. “At the heart of any educational system are, of course, the teachers,” Bersamin emphasized. “They are the unsung heroes who inspire, who challenge, who guide the students toward realizing their potential.” In an age of technological disruption, economic uncertainty, and widespread learning poverty, we cannot overstate the urgency of investing in our educators.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian did not mince words in outlining the challenge: “The dismal performance of our learners in international assessments such as the PISA and the CPLM reveals significant gaps in their learning. . . But amidst these difficulties, one truth stands firm. The key to turning things around lies in the quality of our teachers.” Indeed, the oft-cited 2007 McKinsey Report echoes this truth: the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers.
Mapping the way for teachers
This is where the EQUATE Awards becomes more than symbolic and turns into a call to action. CHED’s Technical Panel for Teacher Education, led by Dr. Edizon Fermin, is already charting the path forward through the GURO strategic directions — an ambitious and holistic strategy focused on “guaranteeing quality, upholding synergy, reframing curricula, and optimizing pathways.” And yet, Dr. Fermin acknowledged, “among the long laundry list” of tasks ahead, what matters most is cultivating the “gurong Filipino, for the Filipino youth and the modern Filipino society.”
But how do we translate this vision into reality? According to Dr. Fermin, it starts with enabling access to support, “that’s why the recipients of these recognitions are prioritized to access the application process for development grants so that you could not only make the best better, but may I add, make the best better together and for all.”
Collaboration and benchmarking are crucial, as Chairman Popoy emphasized: “to other HEIs, I urge you to benchmark and learn from these premier TEIs... so that you also contribute to the production of more outstanding teachers who will play a part in the continuous transformation of our education system.”
We know this transformation will not be easy. No single agency or sector can do it alone. As Executive Secretary Bersamin said so well, “no institution, no government, and no individual can create a successful educational system in isolation. It takes all of us working together.”
The investment on teachers
Indeed, behind every top-performing TEI is a community of educators and administrators who refused to settle for mediocrity. “To the leaders and educators at these outstanding institutions, this accomplishment reflects your hard work and commitment to excellence. You are shaping the future of education, and by doing so, you
Let us not forget that behind every student is a teacher who can either open the world—or close it. “Boosting teacher education is an investment in our nation's future,” the CHED chair concluded. “When we invest in teachers, we are investing in the future of our children, our communities, and our country as a whole.”
Let us invest in them, let us believe in them, and most importantly, let us work with them. Because in the equation of national development, teacher education isn’t just part of the formula — it is the foundation. Mabuhay ang Gurong Pilipino!
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