Over 150 educators from Mindoro Island gathered recently for a critical training on multigrade instruction, highlighting the Department of Education (DepEd’s) push to improve teaching methods in diverse classroom settings.

The five-day event, held from July 22-26, 2024 at Seasons Hotel in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, brought together 151 participants from Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, and Occidental Mindoro.

Dr. Jovita D. Paquibot, the lead focal for the event, managed the largest group of participants, focusing on addressing the unique challenges faced by educators in multigrade classrooms.

The training equips them with the tools they need to effectively manage classrooms with students of diverse backgrounds, DepEd said.

The training saw participation from 6 teachers from Calapan City, 50 from Oriental Mindoro, and 85 from Occidental Mindoro.

Ten Program Management Team (PMT) members, including regional coordinators and experienced educators, provided additional support and expertise.

Dr. Raquel P. Girao, Chief Education Supervisor of the Curriculum Implementation Division, oversaw the event’s logistics and resource allocation.

“Our goal is to ensure that every educator in our region has the skills necessary to provide quality education, regardless of classroom composition,” Girao said.

The initiative comes as the country continues to deal with educational challenges in rural and remote areas, where multigrade classrooms are often a necessity due to limited resources and low student populations.

Participants, many of whom are in Teacher 1 positions, expressed appreciation for the opportunity.

Education officials are already planning follow-up trainings for school heads and additional teachers.