DepEd told to speed up hiring of thousands of teachers

BACK TO SCHOOL. Students of Carmona National High School in Carmona City, Cavite, attend the opening of academic year 2024-2025 on July 29, 2024.

Bonz Magsambol/Rappler

Under the 2027 National Expenditure Program, over P31 billion is earmarked for the hiring of new school personnel, including thousands of unfilled teaching positions

AT A GLANCE

• The Department of Education is under pressure to accelerate the hiring process for over 20,000 unfilled teaching positions.
• The 2027 National Expenditure Program proposes a budget of P976 billion for the DepEd, including P31 billion for hiring new personnel.

This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) was told to accelerate its hiring process as it has yet to fill over 20,000 teaching positions across the country. 

“Why is it taking so long to hire or to fill up these positions?” asked ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio during House plenary deliberations on Tuesday, September 22.

“Hindi maintindihan in the field bakit hindi kayo makapag-fill ng position. Maraming nag-aantay sa RQA (Registry of Qualified Applicants). Dapat matiyak na magkaroon ng mas mabilis na hiring,” Tinio also said. 

(We cannot understand in the field why the DepEd cannot fill the positions. Many are waiting in the Registry of Qualified Applicants. The education department should ensure a faster hiring process.)

Tinio’s comments came as he clarified with the DepEd if there is no request for new teaching items next year. 

“On teacher hiring, the department is on its continuous hiring process until this year and until next year. This is because the allocation or appropriation given to the department from the GAA (General Appropriations Act) 2026 is still being implemented,” said Davao de Oro 1st District Representative Maria Carmen Zamora.

Speaking on behalf of the DepEd as its budget sponsor, Zamora said there were 8,688 unfilled positions from the newly created items in the 2026 national budget. There were also more than 12,000 vacancies from previous years. 

Under the 2027 National Expenditure Program, the education department may get P976 billion. Over P31 billion is earmarked for the hiring of new school personnel, which already includes the thousands of unfilled teaching positions. 

The DepEd also explained that the 2027 budget proposal allocated P12 billion for the promotion of 135,000 teachers under the Expanded Career Progression System. 

But the agency is still pushing for its “wishlist,” which seeks an additional P4.29 billion to hire over 14,000 more entry-level teachers. 

‘Demoralized’ school counselors

Tinio also brought to the plenary what he said was the sentiment of public school counselors in the country. 

“Medyo nade-demoralize daw sila kasi ang DepEd panay ang mga statement announcing na may malaking pondo para sa pag-hire ng school counselor associates,” the lawmaker said.

(They’re demoralized as the DepEd only talks about the big budget for hiring school counselor associates.)

“Sabi nila, ‘Eh kaming matagal dito na guidance counselor, eh mukhang malalampasan pa ng starting salary ng mga school counselor associates na kaming mamamahala sa kanila,’” he said. 

(They said, “We, guidance counselors, might end up having lower starting salaries compared with school counselor associates, who will work under our supervision.”)

The DepEd is currently hiring school counselor associates, who do not need a license, to expand mental health services in public schools. They have a starting rate of Salary Grade 11, which is the same with incumbent school counselors.

The Philippines has a severe shortage of licensed guidance counselors, with only around 1,000 working under the education department.

According to Zamora, the DepEd already requested the reclassification of school counselors to Salary Grade 16 with the Department of Budget and Management.

For Muslim education

The DepEd’s budget wishlist also includes boosting the compensation for asatidz, or teachers of Arabic language and Islamic values education under the Madrasah education program.

If approved, the monthly pay for asatidz may increase to P16,000 from the current P12,000 rate, according to Zamora.

The DepEd also committed to absorb Islamic Studies and Arabic Language teachers from the Bangsamoro’s Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education into the DepEd by January 2027.

While satisfied with these updates, Akbayan Representative Dadah Kiram Ismula flagged the decrease for the Madrasah education program from P521 million in the 2026 GAA to P504 million in the 2027 NEP.

“Naninindigan kami na ang pondo para sa Madrasah education program, dapat ma-restore man lang sa 2026 GAA level upang matiyak ang sapat na compensation at suporta para sa ating asatidz at Muslim learners,” Ismula said.

(We maintain that the funding for the Madrasah education program must be restored to the 2026 GAA level to ensure enough compensation and support for our asatidz and Muslim learners.) – Rappler.com