BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to hire 16,000 new teachers following the approval of additional teaching positions by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), as part of a national effort to decongest overcrowded classrooms and ease the workload of public school teachers across the country.

The 16,000 new items are part of the 20,000 teaching positions created under the FY 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA). In anticipation of the school year opening, the Department had earlier requested the release of 80 percent (16,000) of these items from the DBM to fast-track recruitment and deployment.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed gratitude to President Marcos for his direct instruction to relieve teachers of excessive burdens and to the DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman for the swift and responsive action in releasing the teaching items.

“We thank President Marcos for his firm instruction to prioritize our teachers and learners. These new teaching items directly respond to his call to reduce class sizes and lighten the workload of our educators on the ground,” Secretary Angara said. 

“We also extend our gratitude to Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and the DBM for acting swiftly on our request. Their support ensures that our schools will be ready to welcome more teachers before classes begin,” he added.

The initial 16,000 teaching positions are also intended to address the need for educators with appropriate specializations, particularly in kindergarten, elementary, and subject-specific areas in junior and senior high school. 

To ensure that all new positions are filled by the end of the third quarter, DepEd has directed its Schools Division Offices (SDOs) to immediately begin the publication, hiring, and appointment process upon receipt of the Notices of Organization, Staffing and Compensation Action (NOSCA) from the DBM regional offices.

Recruitment and assessment of applicants in the SDOs have been ongoing since January this year, and divisions with large applicant pools were even authorized to begin calls as early as October 2024. 

By augmenting the teaching workforce, the Department aims to gradually improve teacher-student ratios and optimize class sizes, which are critical factors in improving learning outcomes. The DepEd will continue to monitor compliance and the pace of hiring across the regions to ensure that appointments proceed without delay.

Meanwhile, in support of the President’s directive to minimize non-teaching responsibilities among teachers, the DBM has likewise commenced the issuance of NOSCAs for 10,000 Administrative Officer II (AOII) items. The hiring of these non-teaching personnel will enhance the administrative efficiency of school operations, allowing teachers to concentrate on classroom instruction.

Secretary Angara urged all DepEd regional and division offices to recruit swiftly and efficiently, stressing that the timely deployment of the new hires is crucial to ensuring a smooth and effective school opening.

For guidelines and updates on the filling of these positions, teacher-applicants in the new Registry of Qualified Applicants (RQA) for SY 2025-2026 are advised to coordinate directly with their local Schools Division Offices.

*All Photos from DepEd