Manila: The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has announced a rigorous crackdown on illegal teacher education programs following revelations of fraudulent courses in Palawan. During a Senate hearing, CHED officials revealed that several teachers were misled into enrolling in unaccredited courses offered by a private institution purportedly based in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

According to Philippines News Agency, CHED Senior Education Specialist Ericson Reyes confirmed that these unrecognized offerings have been referred to the relevant authorities for further action. He emphasized CHED's commitment to enhancing the monitoring of graduate-level programs, highlighting its authority to impose sanctions, issue show-cause orders, and recommend the closure of non-compliant institutions.

Reyes stated that CHED is collaborating with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Professional Regulation Commission, and other education councils to prevent recurrence of such incidents. As part of preventative measures, education officials are encouraging teachers to utilize the Philippine Teacher Education Registry (PhilTER). This online tool enables users to verify whether teacher education institutions and their programs meet established quality assurance standards.

DepEd Teachers Education Council Secretariat Director Jennie Jocson pointed out that teachers can readily access the registry online at tec.gov.ph/philter, where they can verify the quality assurance status of their institutions and programs.

Senator Erwin Tulfo expressed concerns over the financial burden faced by teachers who invested significant amounts in graduate studies, mistakenly believing these would facilitate their promotion, only to discover the programs lacked official recognition. "Imagine spending thousands. 40,000, 50,000 pesos? It's all gone," Tulfo lamented.