DepEd continues to drive improvements to teaching quality with new standards for school leaders

October 2, 2020 – The roles of school heads and supervisors in improving teacher quality are now more clearly defined with the issuance of two landmark education policies that set professional standards for the country’s school leaders.

The Department of Education issued DO 24, s. 2020 or the National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH), and DO 25, s. 2020 or the National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for Supervisors (PPSS).

“The changes of various national and global frameworks in education and the changing characteristics of our 21st century learners necessitate a call for the rethinking of our professional standards for our school heads and supervisors,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said.

“This is part of our efforts to prepare the Department for the transition into the future. We want to develop effective school leaders beyond our terms and beyond our lifetime for the future of education,” Secretary Briones added.

DepEd Undersecretary for Planning, Human Resource and Organizational Development, and Field Operations Jesus Lorenzo Mateo said that the development of the PPSSH and the PPSS is one of the Department’s key reforms in improving the quality of education.

“Quality learning outcomes are produced by quality teachers, who are supported by effective school leaders,” Undersecretary Mateo said. “Ensuring the delivery of quality education requires clear professional standards that are responsive to the demands of the dynamic education environment.”

The landmark policies are a product of a long-standing partnership between the Philippine and the Australian governments. Australia, through its support to the Philippine National Research Center for Teacher Quality (RCTQ)—a partnership between the Philippine Normal University and the University of New England, Australia—worked with DepEd in developing the two sets of standards.

“The development and adoption of professional standards for school heads, supervisors and teachers are significant milestones in DepEd’s efforts to improve teaching quality,” said Richard Sisson, acting Australian Ambassador. “We are pleased that in time for National Teachers’ Month, DepEd has adopted these evidence-based policies, which will help align the education system with global standards while responding to the Philippine context.”

The newly-adopted standards, which are consistent with the K to 12 reforms, set out clear expectations of school heads and supervisors at different career stages, from beginning to exemplary practice. The standards encourage greater proficiency; provide support for professional learning and development; help identify development needs; and facilitate uniform assessment of performance.

They also complement the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) – a major teacher quality reform supported by Australia and RCTQ – that was adopted as DepEd policy in 2017 and is now used by over 800,000 public school teachers.

RCTQ Director Dr. Gina Gonong said the professional standards will “provide a clear framework for school leaders to deepen their expertise in pedagogical, management and leadership skills, in ways that support improved student learning outcomes.”

“Teaching quality has been at the core of Australia’s education cooperation with the Philippines for more than 30 years, and we look forward to continuing our productive partnership,” Mr Sisson said.

In the DepEd system, there are currently 43,448 school heads and 5,550 supervisors who will put the policy into practice.