DepEd, DBM establish Teacher Education Excellence Centers nationwide to modernize educator training

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MAKATI CITY, 9 March 2026 — Strengthening the foundation of the country’s education system, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) officially signed a landmark agreement on Monday to establish Teacher Education Excellence Centers (TEEC) nationwide.



The TEEC is envisioned as a national research center, innovation hub, and laboratory for teacher education.



It aims to bridge the gap between theory and classroom reality by producing evidence-based training models, modernizing curricula, and integrating advanced technology into educator preparation.



Education Secretary and Teacher Education Council (TEC) Chairperson Sonny Angara signed the DBM-TEC Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, Series of 2026 with Acting DBM Secretary Rolando Toledo, formalizing the fiscal support to the initiative.



Secretary Angara emphasized that while infrastructure is vital, the quality of instruction remains the heart of DepEd’s mission.

"The establishment of Teacher Education Excellence Centers represents a strategic reform that will strengthen and elevate our teaching workforce across the country," Angara said.



"Ito ay patunay ng ating sama-samang pagkilos upang iangat ang kalidad ng edukasyon sa bansa. Sa pangunguna ni President Bongbong Marcos, patuloy nating isusulong ang mga repormang magtitiyak ng mas matibay na pundasyon para sa kinabukasan ng ating mga mag-aaral,” he added.



The TEEC will support a wide range of stakeholders, including pre-service and in-service teachers, teacher educators, school leaders, and specialized groups such as child development workers, pre-service student tutors, TVET trainers, multigrade teachers, and deans of colleges of education.



To ensure nationwide reach, the TEC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each of the six Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) that will serve as the program’s inaugural implementers.



These are the Philippine Normal University-Manila (National Capital Region); University of the Philippines-Los Baños (South Luzon); University of San Carlos (Visayas); Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (Northern Mindanao); Caraga State University (Eastern Mindanao); and Cotabato State University (BARMM).



The TEEC will function as the research arm of the TEC, tasked with developing programs that are not only high-quality but also contextualized to the unique needs of Filipino classrooms.

The establishment of the TEEC operationalizes the mandates of Republic Act No. 11713 or the Excellence in Teacher Education Act, which aims to elevate teacher education in the country.