By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In a ceremony held at Malacañan Palace on Thursday, April 10, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. stood witness to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) signing of a Joint Memorandum Circular, which aligns the Board Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (BLEPT) with the Teacher Education Curriculum.
President Marcos cites such as an embodiment of the government’s efforts in synchronizing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) with the prescribed curriculum that caters to the competencies needed in classrooms across the archipelago. Likewise, it is geared toward empowering educators that will shape and mold future generations of Filipinos.
A key feature of this reform is differentiation. From now on, the licensure examinations for aspiring teachers will be conducted separately depending upon the field that they are practicing.
This means distinct examinations for those pursuing careers in elementary education and those in secondary education. For elementary education, the focus will now include two vital specializations: Early Childhood and Special Needs Education.
As for the secondary education, the specializations include English; Filipino; Mathematics; Science; Social Studies; Values Education; Technology and Livelihood Education; Technical-Vocational Teacher Education; Physical Education; as well as Culture and Arts Education.
“Marami na tayong mga bagong subject ngayon na talagang kailangan nating pag-aralan nang mabuti kung tayo man ay magiging competitive sa buong mundo. At alam naman natin na ang mga teknolohiya lalong-lalo na sa digital space, alam naman natin na lahat ito ay nagiging mas mahalaga sa pagpapatakbo ng kahit na anong klaseng ekonomiya sa buong mundo,” President Marcos said.
“Lahat ng bansa ngayon ay naghahabol at nag-i-invest nang malaki upang matiyak na ang ating mga estudyante, ang ating workforce ay maging handa dito sa bagong sistema ng ekonomiya na napakalaki ang ginagawa sa digital space na tinatawag,” the Chief Executive added.
Keeping up with the times
The revised structure of the BLEPT is made of three core components: professional education, general education, and the examinee’s chosen field of specialization. Such sweeping changes brought about by this reform are a testament to the government’s initiative of addressing persistent issues plaguing the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994.
This Joint Circular also seeks to resolve the low passing rate of BLEPT examinees at the elementary and secondary levels, respectively, with the goal of ensuring that aspiring educators are better equipped at providing quality education to their pupils.
President Marcos emphasized the importance of the PRC and CHED’s collaboration as a tribute to the unwavering commitment and sacrifices of teachers as the backbone of the country’s education system.
“Hangad ko pong makatulong ang repormang ito hindi lamang para sa inyo, kundi para sa bawat—lahat ng nangangarap na makatuntong sa mas mataas na edukasyon, na makatulong sa kanilang mahal sa buhay, at makagawa ng mas magandang kinabukasan,” he said.
The Chief Executive concluded his speech by calling on teachers to uphold the values of excellence, professionalism, and integrity, wholeheartedly educating and empowering their constituents to become responsible citizens of the nation.
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