Marcos signs law institutionalizing career progressive system for teachers

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed into law the proposed measure, institutionalizing the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders. 

Republic Act No. 12288 seeks to ensure the professional development and career growth of public school teachers and school leaders. 

The new law introduces a competency-based promotion system, which will allow public school teachers in the elementary and secondary levels to advance based on their merit and qualifications.

The new law states that the positions from Teacher I to Master Teacher I shall form the basis of the expanded career progression system. 

Meanwhile, the promotions within these positions are non-hierarchical, which will be based on the teacher’s fitness and competence in adherence to the professional standards.

This law will also allow qualified educators to enter any position within the base of the expanded career progression system, provided that they meet the qualification standards set by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and achieve the indicators of the career stages of the professional standards as affirmed by the Teacher Education Council (TEC).

The CSC and the Department of Education (DepEd), including the TEC, and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) were directed to harmonize the qualification standards for teaching positions in all levels of the public school system.

The new law also mandates the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to create new teaching position titles of Teacher IV, Teacher V, Teacher VI, Teacher VII, Master Teacher V, Master Teacher VI, and School Principal V to expand opportunities available for promotion. 

These positions must be added to the official Index of Occupational Services, Groups, Classes, and Salary Grades, according to the new law. 

The DepEd was further directed to formulate guidelines for assesment. 

The evaluation will include a publicly available assessment process, criteria, point system, and standards-based assessment to guarantee fairness, transparency, and accountability. —VAL, GMA Integrated News