Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1006)
The title of Presidential Decree No. 1006 is 'Decree Professionalizing Teaching.'
The main policy objective is to give primary concern and attention to teacher education by the government, ensuring it is of the highest quality and strongly oriented to Philippine conditions and the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people.
Teaching is defined as the profession primarily concerned with classroom instruction at the elementary and secondary levels, in accordance with the curriculum prescribed by the National Board of Education, whether on a part-time or full-time basis in public or private schools.
Teachers include all persons engaged in teaching at the elementary and secondary levels, whether full-time or part-time, including guidance counsellors, school librarians, industrial arts or vocational teachers, and persons performing supervisory or administrative functions in these levels who are legally qualified to practice teaching under this Decree.
The Board is composed of the Secretary of Education and Culture (Co-Chairman), Chairman of the Civil Service, Commissioner of the Professional Regulations Commission (Member), and two members representing the private sector appointed by the President.
The Board appoints examiners for the teacher's board examination, determines examination schedules and venues, maintains professional teaching standards, issues or revokes Professional Teacher Certificates, prescribes fees, promulgates rules and regulations, and exercises other powers necessary to implement the Decree.
The applicant must be a Filipino citizen (except certain teachers with 5 years experience at effectivity), of good moral character, physically and mentally fit, and possess minimum educational qualifications such as a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education for elementary teachers, or a Bachelor's degree with appropriate education units for secondary teachers.
A candidate must obtain a general average rating of at least 70% in all subjects with no rating below 50% in any individual subject.
Violators shall be fined not less than One Thousand Pesos nor more than Five Thousand Pesos and/or face imprisonment of six months to two years, or both, at the court's discretion.
Three years after the effectivity of the Decree, which took effect on January 1, 1977, meaning from January 1, 1980, no person shall engage in teaching without a valid Professional Teacher Certificate.