Iloilo City, November 15, 2024 — Faculty members from the City College of Cagayan de Oro (CCCDO) actively participated in a three-day consultation workshop on the Teacher Education Scholarship Program (TESP), held at Hotel Del Rio in Iloilo City. Representing CCCDO were Dr. Donna Grace Cotejo, Department Head of the Bachelor of Arts in Communication program, and Prof. Charlie Sumili, Director for Culture and Arts. They joined representatives from the Department of Education, city colleges, and other state universities and colleges to provide insights and recommendations for improving the administration of the TESP.
The workshop, spearheaded by Executive Director Dr. Runvi Manguerra, tackled critical aspects of the scholarship program, including its financial framework and disbursement guidelines. Day 1 sessions featured a detailed review of Republic Act No. 7784, the legislation underpinning teacher education support programs, and discussions on aligning teacher education with current industry demands. An open forum allowed participants to voice concerns regarding payment and refund processes, with Prof. Sumili articulating CCCDO’s perspectives and concerns.
Day 2 centered on a comprehensive review of the Teacher Education Curriculum. Participants engaged in Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to address curriculum challenges and proposed solutions through group presentations. Dr. Cotejo represented an FGD group comprising delegates from Regions VI, VIII, and X, presenting strategies for enhancing TESP’s curriculum and implementation.
The final day focused on the expanded mandates of the Teacher Education Council (TEC) and explored strategies to elevate teacher education standards nationwide. Discussions emphasized the need for synergy between academic institutions and TEC to ensure the TESP aligns with the evolving demands of the education sector. The participants have highlighted a number of take-aways during the workshop. “𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴’ 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧-𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴,” Dr. Cotejo said during the interview.
The event concluded with a closing program, during which Dr. Manguerra expressed his gratitude to the participants. "The insights gathered here will play a crucial role in refining the TESP and ensuring our scholarship program remains responsive to the needs of aspiring educators and the education sector," he said. He concluded with a call to action: “Let us bring back the nobility of the profession.”
This collaborative effort underscores the commitment of CCCDO and other institutions to shaping a more effective and impactful scholarship program for future educators.