THE call of Senator Joel Villanueva for a special focus on the need for exceptional teachers in today’s world, the country in particular, is indeed very timely and necessary.
During the 116th Commencement Exercises at the Philippine Normal University where 800 students received undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, Villanueva made the following remarks: “If we want this country to become truly great, we must focus on nurturing outstanding teachers, not just good ones.”
In the same breadth, the Senator also expressed concern about the state of Philippine education, which he views as critical to the country’s long-term success.
Notably, the EDCOM 2 Year 1 Report and the 2022 PISA Report reveal significant deficiencies, including poor performance in reading, math and science, along with the highest rates of loneliness and bullying among Filipino students.
The reports also highlight a troubling trend which shows that the Philippines has some of the weakest critical thinking skills in the world.
Villanueva, as a Commissioner on the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM2), is thus advocating for substantial reforms to improve the quality of teacher education and training.
“Research shows that the number one school-based factor in improving student success is a great teacher. We can nurture great teachers by raising the quality of programs that train teachers to teach,” he emphasized.
Currently, Villanueva is championing Senate Bill No. 2733, which would allow dual citizens to be appointed as faculty, researchers, and administrators in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).
Hopefully, this initiative aims to leverage global expertise and facilitate knowledge and technology transfer, thereby enhancing the overall quality of education.
“There is greatness in every Filipino. There is greatness in teaching. There are 1.2 million Filipino teachers, and I would say, it is a force to reckon with. A force to make our country great again,” he stresses.
Whether we admit it or not, the country’s quality of education is no longer as good as it was at least a decade ago. We are producing youngsters that perform poor at least in critical thinking, largely because they do not get the kind of education and training that would make them at par with their counterparts in other parts of the world.
Students spend a huge chunk of their time in schools. It is their second home and their teachers are considered as their second parents. In fact, some kids are closer to their teachers than their parents.
If the country does not invest in good teachers, we will have below par teachers if not bad. This will translate to our youngsters getting the kind of education that are either below par or bad too. When this happens, they will be ill-equipped to face the challenges of the modern world compared to their counterparts in all other countries.
Investing in good teachers is like investing in the future of the country. If we have quality teachers, they will produce quality education which in turn, will produce quality students and later in life, quality leaders.
Just like Sen. Villanueva, I, too, strongly believe that investing in exceptional teachers will pave the way for a brighter future for the Philippines. Ain’t it worth it?
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