Ms. Precious Lyneth C. Sampayan and Ms. Francine Rean C. Suyat of the College of Education, outbound preservice teachers of the SEA Teacher Project Pilot Batch 5 at the University of Tsukuba, presented their research at the 14th SEAMEO–University of Tsukuba Symposium held on February 5–6, 2026, in Japan.

Representing the Philippines through the SEA Teacher Project 2026 Pilot Batch 5, they delivered presentations titled “Issue at Hand: Integrating AI in Writing Struggles of Filipino Students” and “Giving Teachers Room to Teach.”

Their presentations examined pressing concerns within the education systems of Japan and the Philippines, particularly students’ ongoing struggles with academic writing and the increasing demands placed on teachers. They discussed existing countermeasures implemented in both countries and proposed innovative yet responsible approaches to addressing these challenges.

The 14th SEAMEO–University of Tsukuba Symposium served as a platform for regional collaboration and knowledge exchange, bringing together education leaders, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to discuss digital transformation and its role in building equitable, resilient, and sustainable learning systems across Southeast Asia and Japan.