Systemic barriers to quality teaching in the Philippines: the local voices of Filipino teachers

The global learning crisis has heightened concerns about teaching quality, particularly in developing countries where systemic inequities affect educational outcomes. In the Philippines, reports from EDCOM II identified structural weaknesses in the education sector, yet many local systemic barriers remain underexplored. Guided by Systems Theory and employing a phenomenological approach, this study examined the experiences of nine public high school teachers in Cebu, Philippines through a focus group discussion. Findings revealed interconnected barriers related to administration, curriculum and instruction, teacher workforce, infrastructure, centralization, and student-related factors. These challenges contributed to ineffective instructional delivery, reduced teacher well-being and preparedness, poor student performance, and unjustifiable student promotion. The study recommends both short- and long-term reforms, including stronger grassroots participation, qualified leadership, depoliticized governance, evidence-based policymaking, curriculum refinement, improved funding, and increased teacher compensation. The findings highlight underexplored issues beyond EDCOM II and underscore the need for a systems-oriented approach to improving educational quality.