ADVOCACY GROUP Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said the Education department needs to enhance teacher training and develop quality instructional materials to help educators achieve mastery in their chosen subjects.
“Empowering teachers to master their subject matter not only demands an upskilling in pedagogical approaches but they must also be provided with the right resource materials,” PBEd Deputy Executive Director for Programs Hanibal Camua said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added that the government must invest in professional development and access to quality teaching resources to adapt to changes in education.
In September, PBEd signed a partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) Region VI or Western Visayas for a civic education project known as Sibika.ph, an online resource portal for teachers and high school students.
Under the tie-up, PBEd will conduct capacity-building workshops for 100 teachers and train them on civic engagement, which will “help students grasp the significance of civic education to personal and societal development.”
“This will also ensure that the next generation are well-prepared to embrace democratic values and are actively engaged in nation-building,” Mr. Camua said.
The project has developed 17 DepEd-certified learning modules for senior high school complemented by videos and assessment tools.
“Under the partnership, these materials will be distributed in various school division offices within the Western Visayas region, upon completion of the learning experience design training with teachers,” PBEd said.
It added that Sibika.ph encourages student-led exercises that are integrated in the learning modules, with the goal of increasing active engagement.
“With the learning crisis and threats posed by false narratives, it is imperative that we provide our youth with skilled teachers and well-developed educational materials to help them make informed decisions and foster critical thinking,” Mr. Camua said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
