A subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation started discussing on Tuesday the bills seeking to institutionalize and expand Executive Order (EO) No. 174, which established the Expanded Career Progression System for public school teachers, aiming to provide them with adequate opportunities based on merit and competencies.

“The intention is to improve the morale of our teachers, our frontliners in education, and by improving their morale, we can anticipate improvement in learner outcomes,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said at the start of the hearing.

Gatchalian, named chairperson of the subcommittee, said this will also identify a clear career path for them through improvement in skills, mobility in terms of their careers, and eventually, becoming leaders in the education system.

“In my view, our teachers should also be motivated by where they can be and how can they maximize their potential not only in teaching but also in leadership roles in our schools and our divisions,” he said.

Under consideration are Senate Bill Nos. 2827 by Gatchalian, 678 by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada; 2831 by Senator Loren Legarda, and House Bill No. 10270.

The proposed measures seek to expand career opportunities in teaching, school administration, and supervision, authorizing the Department of Budget and Management to create the new teaching position titles of Teacher IV, Teacher V, Teacher VI, Teacher VII, and Master Teacher V, and include it in the Index of Occupational Services, Occupational Groups, Classes, and Salary Grades.

It shall also lead to equalization of salaries, benefits, and privileges for positions in the Teaching Career Line, the School Administration Career Line, and the Supervision Career Line.

Under the said measures, the National Educators Academy of the Philippines shall be tasked to develop a specialized remedial program for teachers who do not pass the Standards-Based Assessment for two consecutive assessments to support their professional growth.

Upgrading the current minimum salary grade level of public school teachers under the Department of Education from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 13, with corresponding adjustments for those in higher positions is also included in the proposals. (PNA)