We, concerned educators, professionals, students, and citizens of the Philippines, respectfully call upon the Philippine government, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the Teacher Education Council (TEC), and members of EDCOM II to prioritize a foundational reform in Philippine education:

 

Raise the standards for entry, preparation, and competency within the teaching profession.

 

I. THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION: The Data

For years, education reform discussions have focused on curriculum revisions, infrastructure shortages, digitalization, and learning recovery. While these efforts are important, sustainable educational improvement cannot happen without first strengthening the quality and preparedness of the educators themselves.

 

A. PHILIPPINE STUDENT PERFORMANCE — PISA 2022

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), conducted by the OECD every three years, evaluated 81 countries on the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students. The Philippines ranked 77th out of 81 countries.

 

Math Score: 355 / 472 OECD Average  (Source: OECD PISA 2022)

Reading Score: 347 / 476 OECD Average  (Source: OECD PISA 2022)

Science Score: 356 / 485 OECD Average  (Source: OECD PISA 2022)

 

Math Proficiency (Level 2+): Only 16% of Filipino students vs. 69% OECD average  (Source: OECD PISA 2022)

Learning Gap: Filipino students estimated 5–6 years behind global peers  (Source: DepEd / OECD Analysis)
 

This is not the Philippines’ first PISA appearance. In 2018, the Philippines ranked last out of 79 countries. In 2022, it ranked 77th out of 81 — effectively the same position. There has been no meaningful improvement across two assessment cycles despite ongoing reform efforts.

 

B. TEACHER LICENSURE PERFORMANCE

The Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET/LEPT) is the professional benchmark for teaching competency in the Philippines. The data reveals a systemic crisis:

LET Average Pass Rate (Elementary, 2013–2023): 31.78% of all graduates over 10 years  (Source: PRC / Carl Balita Review Center, 2024)

LET Average Pass Rate (Secondary, 2013–2023): 42.07% of all graduates over 10 years  (Source: PRC / Carl Balita Review Center, 2024)

Physical Education Majors (March 2024): Only 34.1% passing rate  (Source: REO Philippines / PRC 2024)

Technical-Vocation Education Majors (March 2024): Only 33.2% passing rate  (Source: REO Philippines / PRC 2024)

EDCOM II / World Bank Assessment: LET pass rates are lower than passing rates in other professions  (Source: EDCOM II, June 2024)

C. TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITURE (TEI) Quality

The problem does not begin at the licensure exam — it begins in the classrooms where future teachers are trained.

TEIs Performing Below Average: 56% of all Teacher Education Institutions  (Source: Philippine Business for Education Study, 2023)

TEIs Classified as High-Performing: Only 2% of all TEIs achieve passing rates of 75%+  (Source: Philippine Business for Education Study, 2023)

TEIs  Above 75% Pass Rate (March 2023): Only 228 out of 1,362 institutions — just 21.15%  (Source: PRC / Carl Balita Review Center)

Non-Performing TEIs Remaining Open: Some institutions consistently produce zero LET passers yet remain operational  (Source: TeacherPH / PRC Data)
 

CHED only approved a formal quality assurance mechanism to close non-performing TEIs in June 2024 — a policy that should have been in place decades ago.

 

II. WHY TEACHER STANDARDS ARE THE ROOT ISSUE

Teaching is one of the most important professions in society. Teachers shape literacy, communication skills, critical thinking, discipline, values formation, and the future competitiveness of the nation. Yet despite the gravity of this responsibility, teacher education in the Philippines has long suffered from:

•       Low admission standards for teacher education programs

•       Inconsistent competency screening of education graduates

•       Insufficient emphasis on mastery and instructional quality

•       A cycle where weaknesses in literacy and pedagogy are reproduced by underprepared faculty

•       A persistent mismatch between teacher specialization and actual teaching assignments

 

Many students enter education programs not because teaching is their passion or deliberate career path, but because education is perceived as easier to enter. This weakens the professional standards and long-term quality of the teaching workforce.

Additionally, there are cases where future educators are trained by instructors who themselves struggle with communication delivery, subject mastery, and instructional competency. This creates a compounding cycle where weaknesses are reproduced instead of corrected.

 

III. WHAT THIS PETITION IS - AND IS NOT

This petition is not an attack on teachers. On the contrary, it is a call to elevate the dignity, professionalism, and standards of teaching as a respected and highly skilled profession.

We fully recognize the importance of equity, inclusion, and access programs for underserved communities, Indigenous Peoples, and marginalized groups. These programs are necessary and valuable in building a more inclusive education system.

However, educational equity should never come at the expense of minimum competency standards for educators. Every teacher entrusted with educating Filipino students must meet rigorous professional and academic standards regardless of background. Compassionate inclusion and high standards must coexist — not compete with one another.

IV. OUR SPECIFIC CALLS TO ACTION

We respectfully call on DepEd, CHED, PRC, TEC, and EDCOM II to take decisive, measurable, and time-bound action on the following reforms:

Admission and Entry Standards

•       Establish and enforce minimum GPA and aptitude standards for enrollment into BSED and BEED programs

•       Require standardized literacy, communication, and analytical reasoning screening before admission to teacher education programs

Teacher Education Institution Accountability

•       Fully implement CHED Resolution No. 352-2024 — close consistently non-performing TEIs without further delay

•       Require TEI faculty to demonstrate subject mastery and instructional competency through regular evaluation

•       Strengthen minimum standards for TEI accreditation and enforce consequences for non-compliance

Specialization and Deployment Reform

•       Improve alignment between teacher specialization and teaching assignments

•       Implement the restructured LEPT (signed April 2025) with full transparency and tracking of results by specialization

 

Professional Attractiveness and Retention

•       Expand scholarships and financial incentives to attract high-performing students into teaching

•       Establish clear, merit-based career progression pathways for long-term retention

•       Pursue policies that elevate teaching as a prestigious, well-compensated, and highly respected profession

 

Ongoing Evaluation and Accountability

•       Require continuous professional competency evaluations for practicing educators

•       Publish annual TEI performance reports publicly so communities can make informed decisions

 

V. CONCLUSION

Countries with strong education systems — Finland, Singapore, Japan, South Korea — treat teaching as selective, rigorous, and highly professional. They invest in who enters the profession, how they are trained, and how they are supported. The result is a society where every child has a genuinely qualified educator in front of them.

 

The Philippines has the data. It has the policy frameworks. What has been missing is the sustained political will to act on them.

Filipino children are not failing because they lack potential. They are being underserved by a system that has not sufficiently demanded excellence from itself. That must change.

If the Philippines truly seeks meaningful and long-term education reform, reform must begin with the educators themselves.

For the future of Filipino learners.     For the dignity of the teaching profession.     For the future of Philippine education.

 

VI. Data Sources

All data cited in this petition is drawn from official, peer-reviewed, and publicly verifiable sources:

 

•       OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 — Philippines Country Report

•       Philippine Business for Education — Teacher Education Study (2023)

•       Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) — LET Results Data 2013–2024

•       EDCOM II — Press Releases and Policy Statements (2024)

•       EDCOM II / World Bank — Joint Statement on Teacher Education Quality, June 2024

•       CHED Resolution No. 352-2024 — Quality Assurance Mechanism for Pre-service Teacher Education

•       PRC / CHED Joint Memorandum Circular (April 2025) — LEPT Restructuring

•       Carl Balita Review Center — BLEPT 10-Year Analysis (2013–2023)

•       REO Philippines — March 2024 LET Results by Specialization Analysis

 

VII. Signatories

By signing this petition, we affirm our support for stronger standards, better preparation, and greater accountability in Philippine teacher education — for the benefit of every Filipino learner.