SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has introduced Senate Bill No. 2840, seeking to reform the professionalization of teachers in the Philippines.

The proposed legislation also aims to amend Republic Act No. 7836, known as the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act, which was previously revised by Republic Act No. 9293.

The proposed reforms include additional qualifications for the Members of the Board for Professional Teachers, prohibition of conflicts of interest, and new pathways for registering as professional teachers.

Instead of taking the licensure exam, graduates of accredited teacher education centers of excellence with a consistent 80% passing rate over the last five years may submit a portfolio demonstrating their attainment of professional teaching standards.

The bill also allows individuals with at least 10 years of teaching experience before the law’s implementation to register as professional teachers without taking the licensure exam. They must submit a teaching experience portfolio within three years of the law’s effectivity to receive a certificate of registration and a professional ID card.

Aspiring teachers who fail the licensure exam three times will be required to complete a refresher course from a Commission on Higher Education-recognized Teacher Education Institution before retaking the exam.

Additionally, the bill mandates the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to submit licensure exam questions and answers to the Teacher Education Council immediately after the exam. The PRC must also release the exam results and publicize the performance of Teacher Education Institutions, along with the ratings for each exam component.

The bill requires the Department of Education, CHED, TEC, Early Childhood Care and Development Council, the Association of Local State Colleges and Universities, the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, and an accredited teachers’ association to each nominate one representative to the Board for Professional Teachers, whose five members will be appointed by the President.

Board members must hold at least a master’s degree, preferably a doctorate, from a reputable institution. The bill also opens Board membership to faculty from Teacher Education Institutions who have taught professional or general education courses, or specialized fields, for at least 10 years.