EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara said it is crucial to expose public school teachers to global teaching standards to improve their competencies.
”We must continually equip our teachers with global perspectives so they can bring innovative practices back to our local classrooms,” Angara said.
”These international scholarships and exchanges are not just rewards for exemplary service, but necessary investments in the future of our learners,” he added.
In relation to the objective, the Department of Education (DepEd) held the Teacher Beyond Borders: Global Scholarships and Exchange Fair on Friday at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology in Quezon City.
”President [Ferdinand] ‘Bongbong’ Marcos [Jr.] has always prioritized the global competitiveness of our labor force, and empowering our teachers is the first step toward achieving that goal,” Angara said in a statement on Thursday.
”Through international cooperation programs like this, we are able to equip our instructional leaders with world-class competencies that directly benefit our learners,” he added.
The event, the DepEd said, addressed long-standing fragmented access to information by serving as a centralized, one-stop platform where educators could easily navigate application processes, eligibility requirements and necessary documentation.
Discussed during the event was the personal and professional growth experienced by Filipino teachers who took part in the Korea-Philippines Teacher Exchange Program.
The initiative was a joint project of the DepEd and South Korea’s Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Center of Education for International Understanding.
One of those mentioned was Raleigh Ojanola, a master teacher from Koronadal National Comprehensive Senior High School.
”The experience opened a lot of realizations,” Ojanola said. “The more I witnessed the Korean educational system, the more I realized that I need to go back to serve my community and to continue to enlighten our learners so that they, too, can become successful,” he added.
Ojanola is an envoy representing Mindanao’s cultures as he is immersed in Korean traditions, the DepEd said.
Ojanola said he channeled his insights into the Tulong Literacy para sa Akademikong Yaman project, a specialized reading intervention program that integrates Global Citizenship Education concepts into localized reading materials.
Meanwhile, Kristine Cruz, a master teacher from Malabon National High School, said she returned from her 2024 deployment with a renewed vision for her community.
