The Commission on Higher Education Urged to Implement Closure of Underperforming Teacher Education Programs
A lawmaker emphasized the need for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to follow through on its resolution to shut down teacher education programs that do not meet minimum standards. Rep. Kristine Alexie Besas Tutor (Bohol, 3rd district), chair of the House committee on civil service and professional regulation, stated that CHED must translate the resolution into a memorandum for proper implementation.
Tutor expressed hope that CHED will finally take action to close non-performing and non-compliant teacher education programs, citing the importance of stopping the decline in basic education nationwide. The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) noted that CHED had revised its memorandum orders to ensure the quality of pre-service teacher education in the country.
Under the revised policy, CHED will issue a notice of immediate closure for programs at teacher education institutions that consistently perform poorly in the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) and fail to meet CHED’s standards. A study based on 12-year data revealed that a significant number of Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) have performed below average on the annual licensure exam for teachers.
The 2023 study by the education advocacy group, Philippine Business for Education, found that only 2% of schools offering teacher education can be classified as “high-performing,” with passing rates of at least 75%. The implementation of CHED’s resolution is seen as a crucial step in improving the quality of teacher education programs in the Philippines.
