MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing key reforms to improve the implementation of the Senior High School (SHS) voucher program while strengthening the classroom observation system for teachers as part of efforts to enhance the country’s basic education sector.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the department is working closely with private school partners to ensure the smoother delivery of voucher assistance to students and to better align priorities between public and private education institutions.
The discussions took place during the 351st meeting of the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), where officials and education leaders examined ways to improve coordination and maintain transparency in the implementation of the SHS voucher program.
DepEd said reforms to the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) will prioritize learners from middle-income and low-income households to ensure that government support reaches those who need it most.
Aside from voucher reforms, Angara also convened DepEd’s National Management Committee to review and strengthen the current classroom observation system used in evaluating teachers.
The department is developing a policy under the Teacher Growth and Performance framework aimed at improving teacher development while reducing stress during evaluations. The proposed system will assess teachers using four equally weighted components: learner evidence, professional artifacts, collaboration and professional engagement, and a single classroom observation.
DepEd said the initiative seeks to promote professional growth among educators, ensure fairness in performance evaluation, manage teachers’ workload more effectively, and ultimately improve learning outcomes for students across the country.
According to Angara, the department remains committed to implementing policies that support teachers’ welfare while strengthening the overall quality of education in the Philippines.
