TEC approves new teacher education curriculum, establishes national excellence center
To further improve teacher education in the country, the Teacher Education Council (TEC) has formally approved a revised pre-service teacher education curriculum and established the Teacher Education Excellence Center (TEEC).
The approval was made during the TEC’s second quarterly meeting held Tuesday at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in Quezon City.
The meeting was presided over by Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary and TEC Chairperson Sonny Angara. Other key officials present included CHED Chairman J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera III, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Chairperson Atty. Charito A. Zamora, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez and TEC Executive Director V Dr. Jennie V. Jocson.
The revised Professional Education curriculum—developed by the TEC Secretariat in collaboration with CHED’s Technical Panel for Teacher Education (TPTE) and the Research Institute for Teacher Quality (RITQ)—marks a significant overhaul of teacher preparation in the Philippines.
Key features of the revised curriculum include a stronger focus on foundational literacy and numeracy skills, a reduced number of core professional education courses to allow for more specialization, and an extended practicum period to better prepare future educators for real-world classroom challenges.
According to CHED TPTE Chairperson Dr. Edizon Fermin, the curriculum was shaped through extensive nationwide consultations and is designed to be inclusive, collaborative and responsive to the evolving needs of teachers and learners.
The phased rollout will begin in mid-June with the release of an official shaping paper, alongside training and capacity-building activities for teacher educators. Professional Education syllabi guides are expected by the end of June, followed by the release of specialization syllabi throughout the remainder of the year.
In parallel, the TEC approved the creation of the Teacher Education Excellence Center (TEEC), envisioned as a national hub for teacher education innovation. Dr. Jocson presented the TEEC as a strategic complement to the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), with a focus on high-impact, research-based programs that will enhance teaching effectiveness.
Backed by Republic Act 11713, which strengthened TEC’s mandate, the TEEC will cater to a broad range of educators, including pre-service and in-service teachers, child development workers, multigrade teachers, tech-voc instructors and leaders from teacher education institutions (TEIs).
On May 21, Dr. Jocson met with Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to finalize the Center’s vision, 2026 implementation timeline and proposed budget. Pilot activities are expected later this year, with full implementation slated for 2026.
“Education is a long game—a series of investments that will pay dividends toward a more prosperous nation,” said Secretary Angara. “Kapag mahusay ang guro, siguradong maganda ang resulta para sa kabataan at sa bansa.”
TEC is currently refining its development roadmap and budget strategy to ensure a successful launch of the TEEC. The initiative enjoys strong support from both DepEd and DBM.
Other agenda items discussed during the meeting included the alignment of the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) with the new curriculum, support for CHED’s upcoming Excellence in Quality Assurance in Teacher Education (EQUATE) awards, and TEC’s continuing response to the recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).
The next TEC quarterly council meeting is slated on August 26, 2025.
