PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed into law Republic Act No. 12288, which institutionalizes the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders, aimed at ensuring their professional development and career growth.

Under the law, the positions from Teacher I to Master Teacher I will serve as the foundation of the expanded career progression system.

Promotions within these positions will be non-hierarchical and based on a teacher’s qualifications and competence in accordance with professional standards.

“Recognizing prior learning and teaching experience, the Act also allows qualified educators to enter any position within the base of the expanded career progression system, provided they meet the qualification standards set by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and achieve the indicators of the career stages of the professional standards as affirmed by the Teacher Education Council (TEC),” the Presidential Communications Office said.

The law also mandates the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to create new teaching position titles—Teacher IV, Teacher V, Teacher VI, Teacher VII, Master Teacher V, Master Teacher VI, and School Principal V—to widen opportunities for promotion.

Within 90 days of its effectivity, the Department of Education (DepEd), CSC, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and DBM, in consultation with the TEC and other education stakeholders, must issue the implementing rules and regulations for the law’s effective rollout.