Breaking Educational Barriers: PCW and Partners Launch First-Ever Gender-Responsive Assessment Tools for Evaluating Instructional Materials

Posted on July 9, 2025

Breaking Educational Barriers: PCW and Partners Launch First-Ever Gender-Responsive Assessment Tools for Evaluating Instructional Materials

^{A shared commitment unveiled. Leaders from PCW, DepEd, CHED, and TESDA call on all educators, curriculum developers, instructional designers, resource evaluators and institutions to break gender biases and rewrite learning toward equality. (From left to right, PCW Officials – Deputy Executive Director Anita E. Baleda, Executive Director Nharleen Santos-Millar, Commissioner for Education/Academe Dr. Ma. Luisa T. Camagay, and Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla, DepEd Director Dexter N. Pante, CHED Director Edna Imelda Mae Fernandez-Legazpi, and TESDA Officials – Deputy Director General Rosanna A. Urdaneta and Executive Director Janet M. Abasolo)}

In a bold step toward mainstreaming gender perspective in the Philippine education system, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), officially launch the Resource Toolkit on Gender-Responsive Assessment Tools for Evaluating Instructional Materials in Basic, Higher, and Technical-Vocational Education on June 23, 2025, at The Bayleaf Intramuros, Manila.

^{All in for equality. Representatives from the key education agencies (DepEd, CHED, TESDA) and the PCW stand in solidarity at the launch of the Gender-Responsive Assessment Tools for Evaluating Instructional Materials in Basic, Higher, and Technical-Vocational Education— signaling a collective step forward in transforming the Philippine education system through gender-responsive and inclusive learning resources.}

This pioneering toolkit—the first of its kind in the country—was developed out of shared commitment to address long-standing gender biases in learning materials. Research and consultations revealed how learning resources across all levels of education still reinforce outdated gender roles and often render women and other marginalized groups invisible. In response, the PCW, in collaboration with DepEd, CHED, and TESDA, spearheaded the development of this toolkit.

The launch gathered officials, educators, and stakeholders from the education sector. This groundbreaking initiative is expected to create lasting impact on the Philippine education system by promoting more inclusive, equitable, and gender-balanced representations in the textbooks and learning content—ultimately shaping a generation of learners who value diversity, challenge stereotypes, and uphold gender equality as a core societal value.

^{PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla, in her opening message, highlights the importance of promoting gender-fair and inclusive learning tools.}

PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla opened the program with a powerful message underscoring the need for this initiative. “Today’s launch signals our collective determination to address these silent inequalities,” she said. “The toolkit gives us a concrete mechanism to examine our learning resources with fresh eyes and renewed perspective—to consider not only what we are teaching, but also how we are shaping identities and values through the materials we produce.”

A short audio-visual presentation by PCW Chief GAD Specialist Dr. Macario T. Jusayan walked the audience through the toolkit’s objective, development process, and structure. The ceremonial unveiling of the toolkit followed, where leaders from PCW, DepEd, CHED, and TESDA symbolically handed over the toolkit to representatives of the three education agencies.

^{Director Dexter N. Pante delivers the message of DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, reaffirming DepEd’s strong partnership with PCW and its commitment to advancing inclusive and gender-fair education for all learners.}

The launch was further strengthened by expressions of support from the heads of the partner agencies. In a message delivered by Director Dexter N. Pante, DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara affirmed the department’s partnership with PCW:

“The PCW can always count on the Department of Education’s unwavering commitment to ending gender stereotyping and to championing inclusive, quality education for every Filipino child. We must strive to create an education system where every child, regardless of gender, can dream, grow, and succeed without limits.”

^{Director Edna Imelda Mae Fernandez-Legazpi delivers the message of CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, expressing CHED’s full support for the initiative and its commitment to making gender fairness and inclusion a standard in higher education.}

Similarly, CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, in a message delivered by Director Edna Imelda Mae Fernandez-Legazpi, pledged the Commission’s full support:

“CHED pledges its continued support, confident that the resource toolkit will guide our collective journey towards an education system that empowers every learner—fostering institutions where gender fairness and inclusion are not just ideals but standard practice.”

^{Deputy Director General Rosanna A. Urdaneta delivers the message of TESDA Secretary Kiko B. Benitez, emphasizing how the toolkit supports TESDA’s ongoing efforts to promote gender equality and inclusion in the technical-vocational education and training (TVET) sector.}

TESDA Deputy Director General Rosanna A. Urdaneta, speaking on behalf of Secretary Kiko B. Benitez, highlighted how the toolkit aligns with TESDA’s efforts to mainstream gender in the technical-vocational sector:

“This toolkit will be an important reference in further strengthening GAD mainstreaming in the TVET sector. Through tools like this, TESDA advances its goal of building a more gender-fair and inclusive TVET system, where quality, world-class education and training truly serve all.”

^{PCW Commissioner for Education/Academe Dr. Ma. Luisa T. Camagay delivers the closing remarks, underscoring the toolkit’s role in shaping a more equitable education system that fosters dignity, respect, and inclusion in every learning environment.}

In her heartfelt closing message, PCW Commissioner for Education/Academe Dr. Ma. Luisa T. Camagay emphasized the significance of this milestone in the country’s journey toward equitable education. She reminded stakeholders that education does not only inform, it shapes how individuals see themselves and others. “Through this toolkit,” she said, “we now have the power to ensure that every page, every lesson, and every classroom upholds the values of equality, dignity, and respect.”

With the toolkit now officially launched, PCW calls on DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and other stakeholders to integrate it into their standard procedures for reviewing and developing instructional materials. The challenge ahead lies in sustained implementation—through policies, institutional mechanisms, consistent training and continued advocacy.

This initiative is a testament to what collective action can achieve and reaffirms PCW’s enduring mission to mainstream gender across all sectors. The toolkit serves as a beacon for inclusive learning, a future where every Filipino learner sees themselves reflected with fairness and pride in the stories they read. It envisions classrooms where respect, equality, and diversity are not just lessons but lived experiences, fostering an environment that empowers all students to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society.