25,000 public schools lack principals

CEBU, Philippines — Close to 25,000 public schools across the country currently lack school heads, but Education Secretary Sonny Angara has vowed to address this issue soon.

This data comes from the second-year report of the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), as cited by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The Freeman attempted to reach DepEd Region VII Director Salustiano Jimenez for additional information on how this affects schools in the region but received no response.

DepEd underscored the critical role of school heads in the education system, stating that they "play a crucial role in providing instructional leadership, managing school operations, ensuring the effective implementation of policies, and fostering a supportive learning environment that enhances both teacher performance and student outcomes."

In response to the EDCOM II report, Secretary Angara assured the public that measures are being taken to fill the vacancies.

"Gagawa tayo at magde-deploy ng School Principal items sa mga paaralan na wala nito," Angara said in a statement.

DepEd is now working towards implementing a 1:1 principal-to-school policy to strengthen the education sector.

"Sa kasalukuyang patakaran natin, hindi automatic na 1 school head per 1 school. Babaguhin natin ito. Basta may school, may principal dapat," Angara added.

To achieve this, DepEd plans to prioritize the promotion and reclassification of qualified Head Teachers and Teachers-in-Charge into formal principal positions.

At the same time, the department will conduct an assessment of principal distribution across regions to ensure fairness in reallocating school heads to areas experiencing shortages.

"Kailangan din natin makita ang overall distribution. Saan may regions na may oversupply ng qualified principals? Paano ma-i-distribute ito while being fair to the principal applicant?" Angara noted.

To make it easier for aspiring school leaders to qualify, DepEd is also exploring the decentralization of the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH), while maintaining uniform standards across all regions.

Additionally, DepEd is considering offering more frequent NQESH schedules and expanding targeted training programs under the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) to better support teachers aspiring for principalship. (CEBU NEWS)