Despite challenges faced by teachers nationwide, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) College of Education emphasized that its future educators persist in their commitment to the profession.

In a press conference held during the launch of the College of Education’s centennial celebration on Wednesday, Dean Pilar Romero said the faculty helps students navigate the intricacies of the teaching profession by serving as models — starting from career guidance, where they already present a positive picture of what it means to be a teacher.

“I would encourage our young and dynamic teachers to tell these students that if you go into the College of Education, you will not only be in the classroom; there are a plethora of opportunities open for you,” Romero said.

With the theme “From Foundations to Futures: A Century of Excellence,” the centennial kickoff also looked back on the college’s historical roots and milestones since its founding in 1926.

UST Heritage Library’s Assistant Head for Digitization, Symon Lagao, noted that the college was established under Fr. Silvestre Sancho in response to the country’s need for educators.

Citing historical records, Lagao noted that by 1927, the Philippines had over a million students across 7,300 public schools but only 25,226 teachers.

One of the earliest challenges the college faced, Lagao said, was the admission of women. Initially, Pope Pius XI opposed the idea of admitting women.

“He explicitly stated in his encyclical that co-education is false and harmful because it ignores the differences between the sexes and the moral delicacy required during adolescence,” Lagao said, citing Pope Pius XI’s Encyclical Divini Illius Magistri.

UST fought against the restriction and was granted permission to admit female students in January 1926 under strict conditions: male and female students were required to stay in separate areas, use different pathways even outside buildings, and be accompanied by a professor at all times.

Now entering its 100th year, the College of Education remains firm in bringing together a community that will contribute to shaping policies and the landscape of teacher education through working closely with other teacher education institutions across the country.

Beyond its education programs — including secondary education, early childhood education, elementary education, and special needs education — the UST College of Education also houses students of Food Technology, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Library and Information Science.