Only teacher applicants who perform well in a personal interview, in demonstration teaching, and on a written examination in English and Filipino will qualify to teach in public elementary and high schools, announced the Department of Education today in its new policy on teacher recruitment and hiring."We want to ensure that only the most competent and qualified teachers are hired", said
Education Secretary Butch Abad.
The new policy also requires that vacancies in high school English, Math, and Science be filled first by teachers who majored in those specific subject areas.
In previous years, teacher applicants only needed to pass the Licensing Examination for Teachers (LET) to qualify for hiring in public schools. However, the recently dismal scores of public school students and teachers in several nationwide achievement tests prompted the DepED to re-examine its standards.
The new guidelines also allow schools themselves to have the final say on who teaches in their classrooms. Committees composed of principals, teachers, and parents from schools with vacancies will select from the registry of qualified teachers those who best meet their needs. The registry will be screened and compiled by division offices.