THE SENATE Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation on Tuesday started public hearings on the proposed amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 7836, also known as the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994, which seek to enhance the professional standards and expand the pool of qualified teachers in the country.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who presided over the hearing, emphasized the need to reform the system.
"After 21 years, we are looking at amending it again. The purpose of amending this is because of new developments and innovations in relation to the teaching profession," Gatchalian said in his opening statement.
"We have to continuously look at the laws that govern different professions, in this case the teaching profession, and see whether that law is still attuned to the innovations and the science of times," he added.
The proposed amendments include enhancing the qualifications for members of the Board for Professional Teachers, requiring at least a master’s degree in education or related fields.
The measures also propose alternative pathways for teacher registration and licensure, allowing individuals with prior teaching experience or those who graduated from accredited teacher education institutions, to enter the profession without undergoing the licensure examination, provided they meet competency standards.
The amendments likewise aim to prescribe more specific examination scopes for early childhood, elementary and secondary levels, and introduce new fields of specialization as recommended by the Teacher Education Council.
Other notable provisions include requiring refresher courses for individuals who fail the licensure examination three times; mandating the release of Licensure Examination for Teachers questions and answers immediately after the test; and ensuring the publication of the performance of teacher education institutions in licensure examinations.
Mario Bermudez, Officer-in-Charge of Department of Education's Bureau of Human Resources and Organizational Development, expressed the agency's support for the measure.
"The Bureau recognizes that the proposed amendments intend to address critical issues such as aligning teacher training with teacher professional standards, improving licensure system, establishing accountability structures among teacher education institutions for graduate outcomes," Bermudez said.
Runvi Manguerra, Executive Director of the Teachers Education Council, meanwhile, believes that by implementing the necessary amendments in RA 7836, a more responsive, dynamic, and effective system for preparing and supporting teachers in the country will follow.
"The council believes that a strong and effective workforce is the foundation of a thriving education system," Manguerra said.
The Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act was enacted to promote the development and professionalization of teachers and the teaching profession.
It also governs the supervision and regulation of the licensure examination for teachers.
It was partially amended in 2004 by RA 9293, which revised specific sections of the law. (Wilnard Bacelonia)
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