THE DEPARTMENT of Education has expressed full support for a new policy jointly issued by the Commission on Higher Education and the Professional Regulation Commission, which aligns the Licensure Examination for Teachers with the updated teacher education curriculum. The move aims to enhance the quality of teaching and classroom instruction across the country.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who also serves as Chairperson of the Teacher Education Council, underscored the importance of integrating teacher preparation, licensure, and deployment to ensure the delivery of quality education nationwide.

“Our schools are only as good as our teachers. They are the heart and soul of our system. It is up to us to ensure that our learners get the very best quality of teaching. With this agreement, we are taking concrete steps toward building a better quality of education for the country,” Angara said.

DepEd noted that the new policy is expected to help address persistent teacher shortages, especially in specialized subject areas. It will also enable the Department to hire educators whose training and licensure are aligned with the actual needs of public schools.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who previously directed the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) to develop urgent solutions to existing licensing challenges, welcomed the policy as a timely and strategic intervention.

“We are aligning our systems to ensure the Licensure Examination reflects the actual competencies needed in classrooms today—whether in early childhood education, special needs education, or the many subjects taught in high schools across the country,” the President said.

The joint memorandum circular, signed at Malacañang, introduces specialized licensure examinations tailored to specific teacher education degree programs, further professionalizing and modernizing the country’s education sector.