VP Duterte stresses need to support Filipino teachers, cites RCTQ’s studies on teacher development needs
VP and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte
In her first national report on the state of the country’s basic education, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte turned the spotlight on teachers as “the lifeblood of the Department of the Education,” quoting studies by RCTQ to underscore the need to support them.
VP Duterte spoke before the country’s education stakeholders on 30 January 2023 at the Sofitel Plaza Hotel as she delivered DepEd’s Basic Education Report 2023. Duterte acknowledged the many challenges faced by DepEd including the need to “focus on upscaling the knowledge and capacities of teachers as public servants.”
“The assessment on K-12 Curriculum revealed the weak teaching methods of our teachers in addressing 21st-century skills,” Duterte said. “Studies done by the Research Center for Teacher Quality, the World Bank, and UNICEF showed that teachers need further support, particularly in explicitly and strategically teaching critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
The Vice President added: “While critical thinking was the most evident in the curriculum, it was also the least taught to students by teachers. Instead, lessons leaned towards conceptual or content-based teaching. And lessons lacked in-depth processing to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving.”
From 2012 to 2014, RCTQ—in partnership with the SiMERR National Research Centre of the Uniersity of New England Australia—conducted at least three studies that examined the competencies of and identified evidence-based development needs for in-service teachers, pre-service teachers and teacher educators.
The Teacher Development Needs Study (TDNS) assessed in-service teachers’ knowledge of subject content and pedagogical knowledge of Mathematics, Science, English and Filipino for teachers of Grades 6, 8 and 10 relative to the K to 12 Curriculum. The Pre-service Teacher Development Needs Study (PTDNS) assessed pre-service teachers’ knowledge of subject content and pedagogical knowledge of Mathematics, Science, English and Filipino for teachers in training for elementary school (Grade 6) or secondary school (Grades 8 and 10) relative to the K to 12 Curriculum. The Teacher Educator Teacher Development Needs Study (TEDNS) assessed teacher educators’ knowledge of subject content and pedagogical knowledge of Mathematics, Science, English and Filipino relative to the K to 12 Curriculum.
RCTQ’s instruments developed for the TEDNS and the PTDNS were used by the World Bank in 2015 when it undertook its Public Expenditure Tracking System-Quantitative Service Delivery Survey (PETS-QSDS). RCTQ assisted the World Bank in assessing the quality of teachers in terms of their content knowledge and understanding of the K to 12 curriculum in relation to allocations of budget.
In response to the many problems in education, Duterte launched the “MATATAG: Bansang Makabata, Batang Makabansa” reform agenda which she said will guide the new direction of DepEd and stakeholders in solving basic education challenges.
“MATATAG” is a mnemonic representing the following four reform components.
- MAke curriculum relevant to produce competent and job-ready, active, and responsible citizens;
- TAke steps to accelerate delivery of basic education facilities and services;
- TAke good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusive education, and a positive learning environment; and
- Give support to teachers to teach better.
Photo credit: Inday Sara Duterte Facebook page
The presentation of the BER 2023 was attended by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr who also delivered a keynote address; Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri; Senate Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Educaiton; Rep. Roman Romulo, Chair of House Committee on Education and Culture ; and other education partners including the Philippine Normal University.
Watch the whole Basic Education Report 2023:
