Around 140,000 positions are expected to be available for public school teachers across the country next year through the career progression program, the Department of Education (DepEd) said yesterday.
This came following the ceremonial signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive Order (EO) No. 174 series of 2022, or Establishing the Expanded Career Progression System for Public School Teachers, by the DepEd, Department of Budget and Management, Civil Service Commission, and Professional Regulation Commission at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City.
“I would just really want to emphasize how much the President [Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.] has really instructed and instilled in all of us how to value the teachers,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a speech, referring to the President’s 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, July 22.
In his SONA, Marcos vowed that public school teachers would no longer retire as Teacher I, as more opportunities for career growth await them.
“By 2025, katulad ng nabanggit merong kabuuang 140,000 teachers, 90,000 of which will be coming from the result of this career progression,” DepEd Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral said in a press briefing.
Under the career progression system, teachers shall be given opportunities for promotion in either teaching or administrative track.
For the teaching track, additional positions include Teacher IV at salary grade (SG) 14; Teacher V at SG 15; Teacher VI at SG 16; Teacher VII at SG 17; and Master Teacher V at SG 22.
Administrative positions shall be streamlined including School Principal I, II, III, and IV.
For the career progression, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said they have allocated P1.1 billion under the DepEd’s 2024 budget, and another P6.1 billion for its implementation in 2025.
“However, iyong P6.1 billion na nakaline item iyan sa DepEd pero kapag kinailangan pa po natin, assuming na hindi pala 140,000, 145,000, 150,000, we can get it from the miscellaneous personnel benefits fund,” she said.
Separate strands
Teachers Dignity Coalition chairperson Benjo Basas, meanwhile, lauded DepEd’s move, citing the significance of a divided track for career progression.
“Very practical po iyan kasi kapag iyong teacher gustong ma-promote, tapos wala namang available na position para sa teaching personnel. Ang ginagawa niyan pumupunta siya sa administration eh, it doesn’t follow,” he said in an interview.
“So, magkaiba talaga iyong kanilang track, magkaiba rin iyong kanilang trabaho, iyong nature ng kanilang trabaho. Napakaimportante rin, tama, na magkakaroon ng division of tracks,” Basas said.
Meanwhile, Angara said such an opportunity would help contribute to improving the quality of education as learners will benefit from “teachers’ experience and skills.”
“Hindi po nasasakripisyo iyong kalidad ng edukasyon sapagkat nandudoon pa rin iyong choice ng teachers to teach,” he said.
Besides career progression, teachers are also expected to benefit from personal accident insurance from the Government Service Insurance System, Special Hardship Allowance, and other teaching allowances following the enactment of the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act. (PNA)