MANILA, Philippines — In his last days in office, President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order which creates five new positions for public school teachers, and provides for an expanded career progression system.
Educators can now be promoted to the following posts: Teacher IV, Teacher V, Teacher VI, Teacher VII, and Master Teacher V.
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Executive Order No. 174, signed on June 23, requires the Budget department to create these new posts and include them in the salary grades index.
Duterte's order also seeks to create two career lines— classroom teaching or school administration— for teachers who wish to move up.
Positions under the classroom teaching line include Master Teachers I, II, III, IV and V.
Those who want to advance to Master Teacher I must reach the minimum standards of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and achieve a high teaching proficiency level based on the requirements of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers.
Those who reach the standards for Master Teacher I have the option to stay in the classroom teaching track or shift to the school administration line.
Meanwhile, teacher posts under the school administration career line include School Principals I, II, III, and IV, according to the order.
Educators who wish to attain the School Principal I rank must reach the minimum qualifications of the CSC, pass the school head assessments and meet the required proficiency level for school heads based on the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads.
On Friday, the Department of Education (DepEd) said it is "jubilant" on the order's issuance, as it believes it will promote professional development and career advancement among public school teachers.
DepEd added that it will work with the CSC, Department of Budget and Management and the Professional Regulation Commission in creating the order's rules and regulations.
The order says all related agencies must issue the rules and regulations within ninety days.
Teachers' group Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) on Friday welcomed the order, but said they will keep calling for salary raises and promotions for teachers.