Microsoft and the Department of Education (DepEd) have launched programs to train and credential 2,000 public school teachers in AI literacy and help them teach students how to use AI tools safely.
Introduced on Nov. 5, the initiatives include Microsoft Elevate for Educators, the AI Classroom Toolkit, and Behind the Chat: A Human Guide to Safe AI Conversations.
The programs build on an expanded partnership announced in August 2026, under which Microsoft committed to giving one million Filipino public school teachers access to its Copilot AI assistant.
Microsoft has partnered with Audentes Technologies to provide instructor-led training and digital credentials to the 2,000 participating DepEd teachers.
The schedule includes two virtual sessions in November 2026 and eight live learning sessions from January to May 2027.
Community activities will run through April 2027, with a recognition program scheduled for May.
Microsoft Elevate for Educators, which went live in October, offers structured training on using AI for classroom instruction, lesson preparation, and student learning while maintaining human oversight.
Teachers can progress through Explorer, Expert, and Fellow levels and earn free credentials developed with ISTE+ASCD and aligned with the AI Literacy Framework. The program also provides access to a global network of more than 100,000 educators.
The student safety component, Behind the Chat, was developed with Cyberlite. It uses fictional scenarios involving teenagers to examine privacy, oversharing, AI-assisted decision-making, and emotional attachment to AI systems.
The materials include classroom discussion prompts and guidance for teachers, parents, and caregivers to help students assess AI-generated responses and set boundaries when using chatbots.
The AI Classroom Toolkit: Unlocking Generative AI Safely and Responsibly provides lesson materials on AI safety, information verification, media literacy, and critical thinking.
Expanded in October, it includes activities for incorporating responsible AI use into classroom discussions.
All 2,000 participating teachers will receive training on using both resources with their students.
Microsoft Philippines managing director Caroline Foo said the partnership seeks to build technical skills alongside responsible decision-making.
“By investing in educators today, we can help ensure technology expands opportunity while giving young people the judgment, awareness and guidance to navigate it safely and responsibly,” Foo said.
DepEd National Educators Academy of the Philippines director Ana Kristelle Garcia-Ortiz said the collaboration supports the agency’s efforts to prepare teachers and students for AI use in education.
She emphasized the need for practical teaching resources that strengthen critical thinking, encourage responsible digital behavior, and support student well-being.
Similar teacher training programs are underway in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand as part of Microsoft’s Southeast Asian rollout.
