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 (DepEd) has promised to deploy around 15,000 qualified teachers as principals this year, saying the process of hiring principals in public schools is also being reviewed.

DepEd stated the report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which showed 55 percent of public schools in the country “operate without principals.”

Among the factors on this include the supposedly low passing rates for the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads, high turnover rate of personnel, the lack of qualified candidates, and the “burdensome qualification processes.”

The agency, citing EDCOM II’s  findings, also cited the insufficient mentoring, coaching, and formal induction programs.

DepEd said to immediately address these issues, the 7,916 NQESH passers in 2024 will be deployed to fill the vacant slots for principals.

It will also release interim guidelines “to ensure that principals detailed to offices return to their assigned schools.”

DepEd urged to update policies, ensure fair promotion to plug lack of principals

“These guidelines will also facilitate the reassignment of surplus principal positions to schools in need,” the release read.

Based on the release, Deped will reclassify 14,761 Head Teachers (I-V) as School Principal I as it also implements the Expanded Career Progression Policy.

Around 954 Head Teachers VI and Assistant School Principal II positions, DepEd said, will also be retitled as School Principal I.

“Under this process, acting school heads will be prioritized as ‘on-stream candidates,’ ensuring a faster promotion to principal roles. Eligible personnel undergoing retitling will also secure their rightful positions as principals in their designated schools,” DepEd said.

These plans aim to achieve a 1:1 principal-to-school ratio by 2026, as the education department also sought to adopt the School Organizational Structure and Staffing Standards.

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“An additional 5,870 School Principal I positions will also be created to support this initiative,” the release read.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara described the lack of principals in schools as an “eye-opener.”

“So many of our schools operate without brains—because that’s what our principals are, the brains of our schools. Rest assured, DepEd is taking swift action to address this problem,” said Angara.