MANILA—The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has closed 26 teacher education programs in 11 higher education institutions (HEIs) as part of efforts to address non-compliant programs and strengthen quality assurance in teacher education.

CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis reported the closures to the Senate on Friday, September 25, during deliberations on the budgets of CHED and state universities and colleges.

The move followed concerns raised by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) over so-called diploma mills in teacher education programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

EDCOM 2’s final report found that 177 teacher education institutions continued operating despite recording zero passing rates in the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) from 2012 to 2022.

The commission said the figures highlighted gaps in the quality assurance and oversight of teacher education programs, with students and families bearing the consequences of poor-performing institutions.

Senate President and EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian said stronger discipline among teacher education institutions was needed, noting that poor-quality programs could result in wasted public resources and students’ time.

“We have to have discipline among our TEIs kasi hindi lang sayang yung binibigay nating subsidy to run the TEIs, but yung sayang rin yung oras ng estudyante kung hindi naman siya papasa or yung quality hindi naman maganda,” said Gatchalian.

Gatchalian said institutions capable of improving should be supported, while stressing the need to address programs that repeatedly record zero passing rates in licensure examinations.

Agrupis said CHED has been working with the Teacher Education Council to identify institutions that comply with its standards.

In November 2025, CHED, the Professional Regulation Commission, Department of Education and Teacher Education Council launched the Philippine Teacher Education Registry (PhilTER), which provides a public list of teacher education programs compliant with CHED standards.

The agencies are also undertaking joint quality assurance activities for teacher education programs from December 2025 to March 2027.

At the graduate level, EDCOM 2 said education-related degrees accounted for 55.51% of total master’s and doctoral enrollment nationwide in school year 2023-2024.

The commission also found that eight out of 10 graduate students did not complete their degrees within the prescribed period of two years for master’s programs and four years for doctoral programs.

Agrupis said CHED has recalibrated its monitoring system as it continues to identify programs that fail to meet standards.

“Meron na po kaming 11 teacher education institutions na napaklose, 26 programs. So we continue to do this and we are recalibrating our monitoring system,” Agrupis said.

CHED said the action taken against institutions depends on the results of monitoring and quality assurance activities. Programs may be classified as conditional, incomplete or failed.

Programs found to have failed to meet requirements may be closed, while institutions placed under conditional status may be given a period to address deficiencies and improve compliance.

“Meron pong mga conditional, merong incomplete, and failed. Kung failed talaga close. Kung conditional we give them a certain developmental part of our mandate,” Agrupis said.

She said institutions under conditional status receive support for a specified period but cannot remain in that classification indefinitely.

“Kung conditional talaga, we will give them support in a given period of time but it cannot be forever. After a given period of time, just like the students given one semester to complete, then close na po talaga.”

Agrupis also said many cases remain under review and that CHED has formed a nationwide technical working group to investigate cases involving teacher education programs.

Gatchalian said EDCOM 2 had repeatedly raised the issue of teacher education institution quality, arguing that producing qualified teachers requires quality institutions.

“We continue to support you, Chair Shirley, in bringing discipline among the TEIs. It’s not an easy task to close schools. EDCOM will also support you also on this kasi this is not an easy task, and this is one of the directions we see as necessary,” said Gatchalian.

“It’s something that we need to do because we need discipline. In order to produce quality teachers, we need quality TEIs. It goes without saying. Importante na we maintain quality among our TEIs,” he added.