SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a bill seeking to institutionalize the Career Progression System for public school teachers, expanding their career prospects in teaching, school administration, or supervision.

Under Senate Bill No. 2827, teachers can be promoted to Master Teacher II in the teaching career line, School Principal I in school administration, or Supervisor in the supervision career line.

The bill also empowers the Department of Budget and Management to create new teaching positions: Teacher IV, V, VI, VII, and Master Teacher V.

Additionally, the measure seeks to increase the minimum salary grade for public school teachers from Salary Grade 11 to 13, with salary adjustments for those in higher positions. It also aims to harmonize qualification standards for teaching positions across all levels of the public school system.

“Our public school teachers are at the forefront of national development, and they deserve recognition through professional development and adequate remuneration,” Gatchalian said in the bill’s explanatory note.

Despite a 61% increase in public school teachers from 2012-2013 to 2022-2023, the career path provided by EO No. 500, s. 1978, failed to offer seamless progression. Department of Education data shows that 92% of teaching personnel hold positions from Teacher I to III, while only 8% hold Master Teacher I to IV positions.

Even among the 65,402 master teachers, only 1% hold Master Teacher III and IV ranks.

In June 2022, EO No. 174 established an Expanded Career Progression System, creating the positions of Teacher IV, V, VI, VII, and Master Teacher V.