Senate candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro wants the country’s state universities and colleges (SUCs) to strengthen their partnership with international educational institutions to expand exchange program opportunities for Filipino students.
Teodoro, a former Secretary of Defense, made the speech while laying out his educational platform during his interview with DZRJ radio.
“It is important for our SUCs to partner with educational institutions around the world, especially for gap year program offerings,” Teodoro said.
“A gap year abroad is a good experience for our students to acquire skills and for their development,” he added.
Teodoro, a lawyer and senior barrister from 1989, said taking a gap year abroad will help students develop an overall mindset that could be an advantage when they join the workforce.
A gap year is a semester or full year of experiential learning typically taken between high school graduation and college enrollment. Gap years give students a break from academic studies to determine the further education and career they wish to pursue.
The former Tarlac representative said basic language skills should be reintroduced into university curricula to broaden students’ language skills and prepare them for global opportunities.
“As we promote our country as a destination for tourists and multinational companies, it is strategic that we prepare our students to think globally by exposing them to international exchange programs,” he added.
Education reform is one of Teodoro’s platforms. The UniTeam candidate for the Senate aims for quality education accessible to all, enriching the curriculum at all levels of education and providing more learning opportunities for Filipinos.
Last month, Teodoro pushed for research-based learning in higher education to improve students’ ability to do research and development.
He said the college curriculum should focus more on discussing and submitting research concepts and papers, with the exception of science and math.
Thanks to this type of learning, the search for knowledge will be integrated in the students, according to Teodoro.
“Your learning process and method will improve if you have a teaching concept based on research rather than lectures. You will develop the habit of researching and improving your skills because learning is a lifelong business,” Teodoro said.
“Inquiry-based learning helps students develop their intellectual skills and critical analysis, which are crucial abilities when entering the job market,” he added.
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