PNU and DLS-CSB Ink Partnership to Advance Deaf Education and Inclusive Teaching

Part of the commitment to promulgating inclusive education, the Philippine Normal University (PNU) and the De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) entered into an understanding that will facilitate the conduct of programs and initiatives supporting deaf education.

The memorandum of understanding outlines several key areas of collaboration between the two institutions to foster a more accessible and supportive academic environment.

A major highlight of the agreement is PNU's commitment to opening its Board Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (BLEPT) review programs to deaf students from CSB. To ensure equal access, both institutions will collaborate to provide essential accommodations, including interpreters, captioning, and accessible review materials. Alongside this, the agreement mandates institutional capacity building, where PNU and CSB will jointly train and orient PNU administrators, faculty, staff, and counselors on how to effectively support deaf students.

The partnership also establishes reciprocal experiential learning opportunities. PNU practicum students will be deployed to CSB to gain valuable experience handling deaf-inclusive classrooms. Conversely, CSB students will be able to undertake internships and service-learning activities within various PNU offices and centers.To further strengthen their teaching forces, the universities have agreed to a cross-exchange of expertise through joint training programs. CSB will spearhead training on deaf culture, pedagogy, communication methods, and sign language workshops for PNU. In return, PNU will grant CSB access to its specialized training in inclusive education, curriculum development, and teacher training aligned with the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST).

Beyond academic training, PNU and CSB are set to collaborate on research and development initiatives aimed at directly improving educational outcomes for deaf learners. This includes the potential joint development of new learning materials and policy recommendations. Finally, cementing their commitment to the broader community, both institutions pledged to organize awareness campaigns, outreach programs, and joint forums advocating for inclusive education and the rights of deaf individuals.

Signing the memorandum of understanding were PNU President Dr. Bert J. Tuga and DLS-CSB Chancellor Mr. Benhur A. Ong. Witnessing the signing ceremony were the Project Convener from PNU Dr. Zhanina U. Custodio and the Vice Chancellor for Academics of DLS-CSB, Mr. Angelo Marco U. Lacson.