20 April 2006 — Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen F. Anota reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that eleven officials from the Department of Education – Bureau of Elementary Education (DepEd-BEE) conducted an educational tour of Singapore on 5 – 11 April 2006 as a component of a DepEd project to ugrade teachers’ professional skills and competencies.

Ambassador Anota stated that the delegation, led by Dr. Mina Celia Angostura, EED Chief of DepEd Regional Office VI, visited the Embassy to call on the Ambassador.

During their call, Dr. Angostura explained to Ambassador Anota that the project, called the “Comprehensive Teacher Development Program (COMTEACH) for Elementary Education,” seeks to develop standards for teachers and formulate a focused and functional training system for the sector.

Dr. Angostura likewise said that informed the Ambassador that the delegation aimed to identify factors of superior performance for teachers, identify best practices on teacher development programs and observe the training system for teachers in Singapore.

The delegation had already visited the Singapore Teachers Network Headquarters and the Singapore National Institute for Education, and observed an actual elementary class at the Singapore Methodist School.

Ambassador Anota then gave the delegation an overview of the Singapore educational system and noted recent efforts of DepEd to enhance the quality of education in the Philippines. She lauded the delegation for choosing Singapore – known worldwide for its efficient educational system – as their point of destination, saying that the delegation could learn a lot from their visit.

While the Ambassador noted the importance of enhancing teacher capability through training, she also emphasized that dedication to the job and efficient delivery of services on the part of teachers remain the backbone of any educational system.

Ambassador Anota likewise highlighted the important role that teachers play in nation building, saying, “Teachers should see to it that core values are taught to students to instill in them the traits that make up a good citizenry.”  END