MANILA — A member of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education said a newly launched scholarship program for aspiring educators will help attract more high-achieving students to the teaching profession.

“The Teacher Education Scholarship Program could prove crucial in encouraging outstanding high school graduates to go into the teaching profession and help ensure that we have excellent teachers in the future,” Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos said in a statement.

The Department of Education–Teacher Education Council, together with the Commission on Higher Education and the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education, recently launched the ₱103.32-million Teacher Education Scholarship Program (TESP).

The program is a flagship initiative under Republic Act 11713 or the Excellence in Teacher Education Act of 2022, which aims to strengthen teacher preparation and improve standards in the profession.

According to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, 720 students nationwide will benefit from the pilot implementation of the scholarship.

The initial batch of scholars will pursue degrees in Early Childhood Education, Values Education, and Special Needs Education—programs identified as needing additional support to ensure inclusive, values-oriented, and age-appropriate learning.

Bernos expressed hope that the program would receive increased funding in the coming years, stressing the need to strengthen the country’s teaching workforce to address gaps in the education system.

She also said she plans to push for additional funding during deliberations for the 2027 national budget.

“Ilalaban po natin ito, at ang iba pang pangangailangan sa higher education sector na makatutulong sa pagtugon sa learning crisis sa ating bansa (We will push for this, as well as other needs in higher education, to help address the learning crisis in our country).”