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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

PBEd backs reforms in teachers’ development to address education challenges

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The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) expressed strong support for proposed Senate amendments to the Philippine Teacher Professionalization Act of 1994, highlighting its potential to address the evolving needs of all stakeholders in the education sector.

The industry-led advocacy group lauded Senate Bills 2830, 2840, and 2884, filed by Senators Loren Legarda, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Ramon Revilla Jr. for introducing innovative reforms to strengthen the licensure process, enhance teacher education, and promote greater transparency.

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In its position paper, PBEd welcomed the bills’ alternative pathways for teacher licensure, particularly those allowing graduates of high-performing teacher education institutions (TEIs) to submit portfolios instead of taking the written licensure exam.

While this pathway may be limited to a select number of high-performing TEIs, it serves as a forward-looking incentive to improve teaching quality at the pre-service level, according to PBEd, citing success stories in Australia, which implements the policy.

The group also backed provisions enabling experienced teachers—including part-time, provisional, tertiary, and overseas educators—to present portfolios of their work in lieu of a licensure exam. PBEd emphasized that this pathway could attract specialized professionals to the teaching workforce.

Doing so aligns with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) curriculum reforms designed to equip learners with job-ready skills. PBEd, however, noted that these innovative proposals are still met with resistance during recent Senate hearings.

“The bill is future-facing for pre-service teacher development. We are in a learning crisis; our house is on fire. We need radical solutions,” PBEd Policy and Advocacy Manager Andoni Santos said in a press statement on Wednesday, urging stakeholders to embrace change.

PBEd Executive Director Justine Raagas echoed this sentiment, stressing that teacher professionalization reforms are just one part of a broader strategy.

In a separate statement, Raagas said improving teacher quality requires addressing the quality of teacher education programs, aligning specializations with teaching assignments, reducing non-teaching tasks, supporting professional development, and improving work conditions.

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