
DepEd looking for qualified school heads
DUE to lack of school heads across the region, the Department of Education is working to implement a 1:1 principal to school policy and assessing the distribution of qualified principal.
The move is In line with the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to strengthen the education sector.
“Gagawa tayo at mag-dedeploy ng school principal items sa mga paaralan na wala nito. Sa kasalukuyang patakaran natin, hindi automatic na 1 school head per 1 school. Babaguhin natin ito. Basta may school, may principal dapat,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.
This initiative is in response to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) Year 2 report, which found that 24,916 public schools currently lack principals.
To address this, DepEd plans to prioritize the promotion and reclassification of qualified Head Teachers and Teachers-in-Charge into formal principal positions.
The DepEd will also assess regions with an oversupply of qualified principal applicants and develop strategies to fairly reallocate them to areas experiencing shortages.
Meanwhile, DepEd is also setting up a plan for the decentralization of the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH) while maintaining a uniform standard across all divisions and regions to improve accessibility for aspiring school leaders.
The Department is likewise in the exploratory stage of offering NQESH at more frequent intervals and expanding targeted training programs under the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) to support teachers aspiring for principalship.