IRR for expanded career progression for public school teachers signed

The Department of Education, the Department of Budget and Management, the Professional Regulation Commission, and the Civil Service Commission on Friday signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order 174 on the expanded career progression for public school teachers.

The signing was attended by DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, DBM Sec. Amenah Pangandaman, PRC Chairman Charito Zamora, and CSC Commission Ryan Alvin Acosta.

In his speech, Angara said under the IRR, the promotion of public school teachers will no longer be "time-based" as this already removes the natural vacancies policy in the department.

The promotions will also not be position-based, which means the teachers will no longer need to transfer to other schools to get a higher teaching item.

Under the new rules, Angara said teachers will already have the choice to "move freely from teaching track to administrative track."

"Hindi po nasasakripisyo ang kalidad ng edukasyon (The quality of education will not be sacrified). The teachers can teach and the students will benefit from that teacher's experience and skills going forward," Angara said.

Meanwhile, Pangandaman said the signing of the IRR of EO 174 reflects the government's commitment to ensure teachers' professional development and to address the ever-evolving needs of learners and communities across the country.

"By establishing pathways for career advancement of our teachers, we are creating a positive work climate that makes them feel valued and engaged which ultimately leads to a more stable and experienced workforce in the education sector," she said.

"Today's signing sends a powerful message to our dear teachers that their cause did not fall on deaf ears, that their hard work is recognized, their growth is prioritized, and their contributions are acknowledged," she added.

Apart from this, Pangandaman said the implementation of EO 174 will coincide with the proposed salary adjustments for teachers.

"May nakalaan po tayong pondo para sa naturang salary adjustment para sa mga kawani ng gobyerno ngayong taon kasama po dito ang medical allowance," she announced.

(We have allotted funds for the salary adjustment of government employees this year, and this include medical allowance.)

The Budget secretary likewise assured the teachers that DepEd will get the lion's share of the proposed budget for 2025.

Before the signing of the IRR, DepEd Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral said that the EO would effect the creation of new position titles from the original Teachers 1 to 3 to Teachers 1 to 7.

Positions for Master Teacher 5 will likewise be created and the positions from Principal 1 to 4 will be streamlined.

"The expanded career progression ensures that teacher progression to higher position is developmental, merit-based, and in accordance with standards hindi po credential based na existing system sa ngayon in terms of position. We, the Department of Education, envisions that with this new career progression system, walang teacher na magre-retire na Teacher 1 (no teacher will retire as Teacher 1)," Cabral said. —KBK, GMA Integrated News