APRIL 17, 2014

NR # 3439

Solons urge establishment of national teacher academies

Lawmakers are pushing for the establishment of national teacher academies to greatly enhance the quality of public education and produce excellent students in the process. Reps. Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo ( nd District! "amarines #ur$ and %loria Macapagal&Arroyo ( nd District! 'ampanga$ filed (ouse )ill *+, ! which creates a national teacher academy on sub-ect areas commonly taught in elementary and secondary schools. .hese sub-ects areas include basic skills and literacy instruction! ci/ics and go/ernment! national writing pro-ect! mathematics! foreign languages! history! geography and sociology! economics! life sciences! physical sciences! and the arts! including art! music and the performing arts. Arroyo filed the bill! noting the quality of the teaching profession has suffered a decline due to se/eral reasons often resulting in a demorali0ed teaching pool. 1.he go/ernment must not only toil to address the existing and impending teacher shortage in the country! but bring talented professionals into the teaching profession to greatly enhance the quality of our education!2 Arroyo said. .he measure! to be known as .eaching 'rofession Act of +3*! authori0es the #ecretary of Department of 4ducation (Dep4d$ to make grants to eligible recipients to establish and operate national teacher academies. .he measure pro/ides that academy staff shall be selected from the most accomplished and prominent scholars in the rele/ant fields of study and in the methodologies! which prepare persons to teach in such fields of study. .he #ecretary of Dep4d shall award grants on the basis of a competiti/e bidding process. 4ach grant authori0es a fi/e&year operation of the national teacher academy! renewable after the period. 5unds pro/ided shall be used to pro/ide in&ser/ice training programs for teachers and administrators! including the study of sub-ect matter! methodology! and teacher education! including effecti/e strategies for teaching all students in mixed&ability classrooms6 the use of the most recent applied research finds concerning education and the classroom! and integrating materials from different disciplines into classroom instruction! especially for elementary school teachers.

.he bill also requires the use of funds to conduct at least one *&week summer institute each year6 train the leadership teams to pro/ide in&ser/ice training for teachers in the professional de/elopment schools established6 pro/ide support ser/ices to such professional de/elopment schools including the establishment of a national network of indi/iduals to assist in teacher education programs in professional de/elopment schools6 consulting assistance in the design and implementation of teacher education6 and monthly newsletters or other methods of communicating useful information. 4ligible recipient means an institution of higher education! a pri/ate nonprofit educational organi0ation of demonstrated effecti/eness! or a combination of the institutions or organi0ations set. (*+$ jsc