Children accompanied by their parents interact with school principal Larry Rosete after a school recognition day activity at the Sta Ana Elementary School in Manila on July 5, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The Department of Education should update its staffing guidelines and make sure qualified teachers have paths for career advancement, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said Saturday as he also called on the agency to make sure all schools are headed by principals.

Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, made the call after the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) found that more than half of the country’s public schools do not have appointed principals.

“One of the main reasons for the shortage of school principals is outdated policies, including staffing parameters dating back to 1997,” Gatchalian said.

Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, Gatchalian’s counterpart at the House, earlier called for an update to a 2010 DepEd policy to only assign principals to schools with nine or more teachers.

DepEd’s non-prioritization of appointment of principals led to shortage: Rep. Romulo

“It is time we update these policies to achieve the DepEd’s goal of a 1:1 principal-to-school ratio,” Gatchalian said.

“We should also create more opportunities for head teachers, [officers-in-charge], and [teachers-in-charge] to be promoted to the position of school principal,” he said.

Gatchalian and Romulo are co-chairs of EDCOM 2.

DepEd addressing ‘alarming’ shortage of school principals

Education Undersecretary Willie Cabral said the department has been working on school staffing and organizational standards since 2023 to help address the shortage.

“Pabor naman po ang ating kasalukuyang secretary na sinabi niya na 'let us do whatever is doable' para ma-address natin ang issue na ito,” he also said, referring to Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

(Our current secretary is in favor of this and has told us to do whatever can be done to address this issue)

TDC: ENSURE PROMOTION SYSTEM FAIR AND ACCESSIBLE

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition, also on Saturday, welcomed DepEd’s announcement that it will work towards a 1:1 ratio of principals to schools, and stressed the need to give qualified teachers avenue for career progression.

"Habang tinutugunan ang kakulangan sa mga mamumuno sa paaralan, kailangang tiyakin din na ang sistema ng promosyon ay patas at madaling maaabot ng lahat ng guro,” TDC chair Benjo Basas said.

(While the DepEd is working to address the lack of principals, they must make sure that the system for promotions is fair and accessible to all teachers)

He said teachers who have been in service longer and those who have been assigned to remote areas should have priority in career advancement.