A London-based Filipino teacher was named Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by His Majesty King Charles III for his contributions to the education sector in the United Kingdom (UK).听听
Edison David, an executive headteacher in the London Borough of Lambeth, and a lead inspector for Ofsted, the UK鈥檚 national education body, was part of the 2025 New Year Honors List, published in the Gazette, the official newspaper of the Crown.听听
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 doing my job, thinking that I would get an MBE one day; not even in my dreams, that I think that I鈥檓 going to get an MBE because this is such an ultimate accolade,鈥 Mr. David told听大象传媒听in an interview on Tuesday.听听听
鈥淚 make sure that I work hard on a daily basis, I always give my best to everything that I do because if I don鈥檛 start anything at the point of excellence, there鈥檚 no point in doing it,鈥 he added.听听听
Before moving abroad, Mr. David began his teaching career in a public school in Tarlac City in 1994.听听听
鈥淚 think my experience is a testament that anything and everything is possible if you work hard,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not one thing that happens听overnight,听you really have to work hard for it; the accolades come as a consequence of your hard work.鈥澨听
鈥淣ever in my wildest dreams have I thought that first and foremost I鈥檓 going to be a school leader in the United Kingdom, but also that I will be given a membership to the most excellent order of the British Empire,鈥 he added. 听
The MBE is the third-highest ranking Order of the British Empire level, excluding a knighthood/damehood, trailing behind Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).听听
An individual is recognized as an MBE for their 鈥渙utstanding achievement, or service to the community that has had a long-term, significant impact.鈥澨听
Among the known personalities appointed an MBE are English singer-songwriter Adele and professional football manager and former player Steven Gerrard.听听
In 2023, Filipino nurse Brenda Deocampo was also awarded the MBE medal for her excellence in managing the admitting ward during the COVID-19 pandemic at Charing Cross Hospital.听听
RECOMMENDATIONS TO PHL鈥橲 EDUCATION LEADERS听
Before receiving his recognition from the UK, Mr. David said he had already reached out to different government officials in the Philippines, including Senator Paolo Benigno 鈥淏am鈥 Aquino IV, who heads the Senate education committee, to help improve the country鈥檚 education system.听听听
鈥淚 think what听is most important as well for the Philippines itself is听probably a听recognition that there are Filipinos out there who have earned a lot of knowledge and wisdom that they can share within the Philippine education system,鈥 he said.听听听
鈥淭he recommendations I gave are actually very听clear,听they鈥檙e quite precise,鈥 he added. 鈥淚f they have time to read them, they will find the wisdom and the knowledge in it because it鈥檚 actually backed by evidence.鈥澨听
One of the key recommendations made by Mr. David tackled the importance of synthetic phonics and the systemized approach to its implementation nationwide.听听听
鈥淚 think every single school in the country, in the Philippines, should be able to teach synthetic phonics as a way,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here should be a comprehensive reading program that, first and foremost, relies on synthetic phonics.鈥澨听
鈥淭he ability to discern and really听understand听what听the text is actually telling you involves the improvement of skills around inference and deduction, and most basically, the ability to decode as fluently as possible,鈥 he added.听听
Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) found that about 24.8 million Filipinos are functionally illiterate or those who struggle to comprehend and use written information in daily tasks. 鈥听Almira Louise S. Martinez听听
