Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized that international training and scholarships are vital investments in the country's education system. According to Angara, it is crucial to provide public school teachers with overseas experience to further elevate the quality of their teaching.
DepEd Hosts Global Scholarships and Exchange Fair
As part of this initiative, the Department of Education (DepEd) successfully held the Teach Beyond Borders: Global Scholarships and Exchange Fair at SEAMEO INNOTECH last Friday, which was also broadcast live on social media. The fair aimed to provide teachers with fair and easy access to overseas opportunities.
The event also served as a one-stop platform to address a long-standing issue among teachers who struggle to find information about scholarships. At the fair, teachers were easily guided through application processes, requirements, and the documents they needed to prepare.
Angara: Global Perspectives for Local Classrooms
"We must continually equip our teachers with global perspectives so they can bring innovative practices back to our local classrooms," Secretary Angara stated. "These international scholarships and exchanges are not just rewards for exemplary service, but necessary investments in the future of our learners," he added.
This project is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to raise the quality of education and make Filipino workers more globally competitive.
Streamlined Selection Process
Meanwhile, DepEd Assistant Secretary Jerome Buenviaje noted that these programs allow teachers to deepen their knowledge and play a larger role in improving learning outcomes. Buenviaje added that under Department Memorandum (DM) OULS-2026-18, DepEd has streamlined the selection process for scholars, making it more organized, transparent, and fair.
"Through these scholarships, teachers gain access to training programs, graduate studies, and even international exposure," he said during the fair. To further assist the attendees, DepEd's partner organizations set up booths and delivered presentations to explain their respective scholarship programs.
Teacher Testimonials Highlight Impact
During a fireside chat at the event, teachers who had previously completed various scholarships shared how their overseas experiences transformed their teaching styles and leadership. According to Ma. Lourdes Rola, a Master Teacher II and a scholar of the 2025 Korean-Philippines Teaching Exchange Program (KPTEP), the program profoundly changed her perspective on global citizenship and cultural understanding. Raymart N. Santiago, a Teacher II from the 2025 Spanish Foreign Language ELE Program, shared classroom management strategies.
Meanwhile, Levy J. Acuña, a Principal III who participated in the 2017 Japan International Cooperation Agency's (JICA) Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP) Science and Math Education Program, explained how global training enhanced his school leadership. School leaders like Lawrence Icasiano, a Public Schools District Supervisor who graduated from the SEAMEO Regional Language Centre (RELC) Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL) program in 2019, recounted the long-term benefits of adapting best practices from abroad to improve the country's quality of education.
Furthermore, Vonerich Berba, a DepEd Education Program Specialist II from the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Scholarship Class of 2024–2025, shared how an in-depth study of another country's education system contributed to his personal and professional growth.
DepEd: Global Programs as Levers for Reform
Overall, DepEd believes that these global programs will serve as levers for systemic change, turning returning scholars into champions of educational reform.
