DepEd hiring 40,000 teachers

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) will hire over 40,000 new teachers this year to strengthen the implementation of the K-12 program, an official said yesterday.

Education undersecretary for field operations Jesus Mateo said more than half of the new teaching positions would fill vacancies in senior high schools, which will begin offering Grade 12 next school year.

Around P55 billion were allocated for the creation of new teaching and non-teaching posts in public schools based on the implementing guidelines for the release of funds signed by Education Secretary Leonor Briones.

DepEd regional offices recently received a memorandum signed by Mateo containing details of the new teaching positions approved by the Department of Budget and Management.

In Bicol region where 4,000 new teaching posts were approved, DepEd regional director Ramon Fiel Abcede said school division offices would start the recruitment, selection and evaluation process upon receiving the complete list of positions from the central office.

Abcede said recruitment must be completed by April 30 to give time for the training of newly hired teachers.

School assignment will begin on May 15, roughly a month before the opening of classes in June.

In a radio interview yesterday, Mateo said applicants for teachers in Grades 1 to 10 should have licenses, while those who will be teaching in senior high school have five years to pass the licensure examinations.