In a major step toward elevating the quality of teacher education, the Teacher Education Council (TEC) officially approved critical proposals during the 2nd quarterly meeting held today, May 27, 2025, at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
The meeting was chaired by Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary and TEC Chairperson Sonny Angara and attended by ex-officio members, CHED Chairman J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Chairperson Atty. Charito A. Zamora , and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, including TEC Secretariat Executive Director V Dr. Jennie V. Jocson.
The reframed pre-service teacher education curriculum and the establishment of the Teacher Education Excellence Center (TEEC) became the most crucial and urgent agenda in the meeting.
The reframed curriculum for Professional Education courses is the product of a comprehensive review process led by the TEC Secretariat in collaboration with CHED’s Technical Panel for Teacher Education (TPTE) and the Research Institute for Teacher Quality (RITQ), who were also present at the meeting.
CHED TPTE Chairperson Dr. Edizon Fermin outlined the development process, shaped by extensive consultations nationwide. He emphasized that while challenges emerged from public debates, they ultimately ensured that the curriculum would be inclusive, collaborative, and flexible to the evolving needs of teachers and learners. Key revision features include equipping teachers to prioritize literacy and numeracy, reducing the number of professional education courses to make way for specialization, and expanding the practicum period.
The approved plans will be rolled out in phases, with further consultations, training, and capacity-building activities expected in the coming months. Dr Jocson identified key targets for this initiative, including the shaping paper and capacity-building activities scheduled for release on June 15 and the release of Professional Education syllabi guides by the end of June. TEC also commits to release the specialization courses and syllabi guides beginning July until year-end.
In a parallel move, the Council also approved the establishment of the TEEC. This Center, Dr. Jocson presented, will elevate teacher effectiveness and teaching quality while complementing the efforts of the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP).
With initial endorsements from DepEd and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reinforced by the formal approval of the Center today, TEC now expects full implementation in 2026 in projected office locations around the Philippines.
Other agenda in the meeting discussed the successful joint signing of CHED and PRC to align the LEPT with the teacher education curriculum, support to the launch of CHED’s Excellence in Quality Assurance in Teacher Education (EQUATE) awards, and TEC’s continued response to the recommendations of EDCOM II.
The TEC’s next quarterly council meeting is scheduled on August 26, 2025.