More than fifty teachers and head teachers from Murcia finished a two-day training course geared towards upgrading teaching strategies to keep pace with rapid advances in technology and digitalization.

Dubbed as “Unveiling Synergies: Connecting Literacy, Differentiation, and Technology Integration”, the training program is a joint project of the Office of Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez and the Embassy of the United States of America – Regional English Language Office (RELO), a press release said.

During the opening program at the Murcia Elementary School on Saturday, January 13, Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas and spouse Berni, with Sangguniang Bayan Education Committee Chairman Councilor Kedy Yu, welcomed Benitez and the US Embassy staff headed by Dr. Carleen Velez and staff Altantsetseg Tumenkhishig and Duong Le, and Assistant Schools Superintendent Salvacion Senayo.

“Thank you, Cong. Kiko Benitez, for organizing this program. This training is a big boost to our teachers’ capabilities, and is also of great benefit to our students in Murcia,” said Rojas.

“For two and a half years during the COVID pandemic, our learners were compelled to undergo home-based studies. They were not able to personally interact and learn with their teachers and classmates. We need some catching up in our children’s education, and we believe that this training can help bridge the gap,” the mayor added.

Simultaneously conducted in the five cities and municipalities of the 3rd District of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, the program’s primary objective is to fortify the competencies of teachers and instructional leaders to be at pace with technological advances, particularly in information technology and digitalization.

The country’s educational system has been found lagging behind its neighbors, according to several assessments by global education experts. Hence the office of Cong. Benitez and the US Embassy designed this program as a strategic response to uplift the country’s educational competencies.

Geared towards providing educators with the needed tools to seamlessly navigate the digital era, the training focuses on Differentiated Instruction and Technology Integration.*