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October 26, 2021 – The Philippine Forum for Quality Basic Education (Educ Forum) highlighted the Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposed career progression system for teachers, which offers opportunities for career movement, professional growth, and financial stability.

“By establishing the professional standards of teacher quality and using these quality standards in the selection, hiring, and promotion of teachers, in assessing their performance, in planning and providing professional development interventions, and in rewarding and incentivizing teacher, we could guarantee that the quality of our teachers in our classrooms are of high standards,” OIC Undersecretary for Human Resources and Organizational Development Wilfredo Cabral said during the Educ Forum’s third episode.

The proposed career progression system aims to create more opportunities for promotion while upholding its commitment to quality learning as it anchors teachers’ professional growth and advancement on the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) as a framework for Teacher Quality.

Once approved as policy, the Department will create the teaching positions Teacher III, IV, V, VI, VII, and Master Teacher V and will institutionalize a merit-based promotion anchored on the PPST. Through the scheme, the teaching career line will be aligned with the four stages of teaching proficiency where Teacher I-III will be in the Career Stage I (Beginning Stage); Teacher IV-VII Career Stage II (Proficient); Master Teacher I-II Career Stage III (Highly Proficient); and Master Teacher III-V Career Stage IV (Distinguished).

With the given career stages and framework, teachers need not wait for a natural vacancy to get promoted to a higher position. They could apply for reclassification as soon as they possessed and achieved the expected PPST indicators for the teaching position.

Meanwhile, the panel reactors lauded the proposed policy of the Department.

Dr. Gina Gonong, Director of Research Center for Teacher Quality (RCTQ), noted that she recognized DepEd’s proposal to anchor career advancement on the quality of teaching practice.

“It is worthy to note that teachers’ voices are heard in the process, and this is commendable. The career progression system is expected to bring positive results towards quality teachers and teaching, and consequently, quality learner outcomes,” Dir. Gonong said.

Furthermore, Ms. Shiela G. Acuña, Chief Human Resource Specialist of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), said that the proposed policy is aligned with the CSC’s Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM).

“I have the impression that it is aligned with the same principle of CSC’s PRIME-HRM, making clear that career progression of teachers can be seen as a way of taking care of the sector in government that accounts for almost half of the total number of government employees,” Acuña said.

Undersecretary Cabral said that this policy is the result of the unending efforts of the Department to provide a long-term contribution to teachers’ careers. Pending policy approval, the first phase is eyed to be implemented starting in 2022.

“We are looking forward that we can address the motivation, as well as stature and compensation of our teachers. We would like to offer this policy to our teachers. Kayo po ang dahilan ng lahat ng ginagawang ito sa pangunguna po ng ating Kalihim Leonor Magtolis Briones,” Usec Cabral ended.

During the Educ Forum’s third episode, other reactors were the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Kim Robert de Leon and Las Piñas National High School Master Teacher II Ms. Ma. Eirish Zulueta.

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