The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) asserts that qualified teachers are said to be the most influential factor on students’ performance and achievement. Considering that, the attractiveness of the youth to the teaching profession has long been known as a challenge.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for education organized a forum last October 7-8, 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand with the theme, “Attracting and Retaining Youth to the Teaching Profession: the Role of Professional Development” which focused on the retention of young talents in the profession.

Dr. Filomena Dayagbil, Cebu Normal University (CNU) State Universities and Colleges (SUC) President III and Ms. Rebekah Louise Rosito, CNU alumna represented not only the University but also the country in the regional forum.

The event consisted of five sessions consisting of topics including “Sharing Experiences in Promoting Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Teachers” wherein Dayagbil imparted to the teachers and policy makers representing the various countries across the Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Uzbekistan, and Thailand) information on the Philippine CPD framework mainly on its legal and professional standards, how it is obtained, who are the main providers, its present challenges, and recommendations on its improvement.

Furthermore, Rosito partook on the fifth session wherein she shared her insights on the teaching profession from the view of a young, prospect teacher.

Teachers, whether young or experienced, meet challenges along their journey in the profession. The forum began to unravel the region’s main challenges in maintaining the attractiveness of teaching giving way to the participants’ suggestions on how to hurdle these obstacles. Teaching indeed will always depend on continuing improvements from its stakeholders. (MJO)