REP. Eric Olivarez has filed a measure that seeks to strengthen the recruitment and training of public school teachers.

House Bill 3204 or the proposed Public School Teachers Recruitment Act aims to reinforce the hiring process to ensure that public schools have competitively great teachers.

Under the bill, aside from the existing requirements and procedure of hiring public school teachers, there shall be a mandatory panel interview before one is assigned to teach a particular subject.

Public school teachers will also have to pass a qualifying examination prepared by the Department of Education before they can teach in a public school with Special Science Curriculum.

Olivarez said the government should give priority to education, science, technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism.

“The State is also mandated to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels,” he said in his explanatory note.