Teacher Education Strengthening Act

Policy, Purpose, and State Mandate

The State must protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and make it accessible and relevant.
The State recognizes that teachers are the key to effective teaching-learning processes by drawing out and nurturing the best in the learner.
The State recognizes the role of school leaders in supporting teachers through an environment for effective teaching and a school culture that develops enthusiastic, independent lifelong learners.
The State must ensure and enhance the quality of teacher education and training nationwide by establishing a teacher education scholarship program and by providing dynamic, modern, and equitable education through national leadership of the Teacher Education Council.
Teacher education and training under the Act must be geared toward developing teachers and school leaders with unquestionable integrity and competence and committed to continuing professional growth and helping learners grow as responsible, competent, and productive individuals and citizens.

Definitions and Key Concepts

“Excellence” means efficient, effective, and innovative delivery of relevant, functional, and quality programs in teacher education, training, curriculum development, instruction, research, and extension services.
“Formal education” means systematic and deliberate hierarchically structured and sequential academic learning from kindergarten to graduate education.
“In-service education” means professional development training for education personnel, including formal and informal activities that develop skills, knowledge, and expertise in the teaching profession.
“Nonformal education” means organized and systematic educational activity outside the formal education system to provide selected learning to a segment of the population.
“Other teaching-related personnel” refers to those performing teaching-related functions such as guidance counselors and librarians, and other personnel determined by the Council.
“Para-teachers” refers to persons who took the licensure examination for teachers but were unable to qualify and were issued by the Board for Professional Teachers a special permit indicating their area of assignment where there is a shortage or absence of a professional teacher.
“Pre-service teacher education programs” refers to undergraduate degrees and certificates of teaching with mandatory curriculum and practicum specifications.
“Pre-service teachers” refers to students enrolled in a teacher education degree program offered by Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs).
“Professional standards” refers to standards established and used by DepEd setting expectations of professional practice across career stages; these standards serve as the basis for all learning and development programs and the benchmark for selection and promotion.
“Professional standards” must be ensured by the Council through rigorous reviews after five (5) years from the effectivity of the Act and every five (5) years thereafter, or within a shorter period as the Council deems necessary.
“School leaders” refers to officials in the public school system with managerial and supervisory roles at their levels (including head teachers, department heads, principals, assistant principals, schools district supervisors, education program supervisors, chief education supervisors, schools division superintendents, regional directors, assistant regional directors, and equivalents in the private school system).
“Teacher” refers to a person qualified to practice teaching under law and engaged in teaching any subject, including technical-vocational (Tech-Voc), at the basic education level in private or public basic education institutions, including teachers not actually employed as such.
“Teacher education” includes formal pre-service and in-service education and training, including graduate education, undertaken by pre-service teachers and teachers.
“Teacher Education-COE” refers to a public or private college, institute, school, or agency (existing alone or within a university/college) engaged in providing academic training for both formal and nonformal pre-service and continuing education, with an excellent track record in teacher education and related capabilities as specified in the Act’s COE criteria.
“Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs)” refers to higher education institutions recognized by CHED offering teacher education degree programs and certificates in teaching programs (or equivalents), as approved by CHED.
“Teacher education programs” refers to recognized academic programs such as undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates of teaching (or equivalents) enabling pre-service teachers to meet entry requirements to the teaching profession and strengthening in-service teachers’ professional practice.
“Teacher educators” refers to those in the education sector who educate pre-service and in-service teachers.

Coverage: Who Must Follow

Republic Act No. 11713 applies to teachers and school leaders in all public and private basic education institutions.
Republic Act No. 11713 applies to all public and private TEIs.
The Act provides for Teacher Education-COEs in strategic places in each region and mandates designations based on criteria and assessment by the Council.
The Act establishes scholarship and incentive systems for qualified students and eligible education personnel through UniFAST Board implementation and Council policies.
The Act institutionalizes the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) for professional development of in-service teachers, school leaders, and other teaching-related personnel in basic education institutions.

Teacher Education-COE Requirements and Network

The Council must identify, designate, establish, or develop one or more Teacher Education-COEs in strategic places in each region based on Council assessment and adjudication.
Certain Teacher Education-COEs at the provincial level may be established, identified, or developed when the need arises.
At least one (1) TEI from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao must be established as a Center of Excellence in Special Needs Education.
COE criteria include: qualified and experienced faculty recognized in their fields and practicing best practices with integrity and Filipino culture; well-selected student talent for teaching; adequate library, research, and study facilities; competent administrative and support staff; innovative and well-planned curriculum development, instruction, mentoring, and research; adequate student services and development programs; relevant extension services, linkages, and outreach; percentage of graduates passing the licensure examination and pursuing teaching careers; graduates becoming professionals in education training/development or leaders in education; and such other criteria operationalized by the Council.
Each Teacher Education-COE must form a national network that engages with elementary schools and high schools (or a part thereof) for laboratory purposes.
Any designated Teacher Education-COE must be reviewed and evaluated every three (3) years to ensure continued possession of COE criteria.
A Teacher Education-COE must conduct innovative and relevant pre-service and in-service teacher education and training programs, including alternative delivery programs, to produce teachers providing quality education.
A Teacher Education-COE must organize and coordinate collaborative research on identified teacher education areas to improve programs, policies, standards, and guidelines.
A Teacher Education-COE must serve as a teacher resource center for development of curricular or instructional materials (or both).
A Teacher Education-COE must serve as the central node for networking specific disciplines in teacher education in the region.
A Teacher Education-COE must provide professional assistance to TEIs, including mentoring for quality assurance pathways and expediting accreditation among TEIs.
A Teacher Education-COE must encourage mutual support among TEIs in the region for upgrading and improving programs.
A Teacher Education-COE must develop high standards of conduct in research and innovation, publish research papers in local or international refereed journals, and ensure dissemination to TEIs and concerned agencies.
A Teacher Education-COE must participate in developing and implementing a national research agenda in teacher education focusing on continuous enhancement of teacher education and development.

Teacher Education Council Structure and Powers

The Teacher Education Council (the Council) implements the Act and must exercise the powers and functions mandated in the Act.
The Council is composed of nine (9) members.
The Council and its Secretariat are attached to DepEd solely for budgetary coordination and related purposes.
The Council has ex officio members: (1) Secretary of DepEd as Chairperson, (2) Chairperson of CHED as Vice-Chairperson, (3) Director-General of TESDA, (4) Executive Director of NCCA, and (5) Chairperson of PRC.
The Council has regular members appointed by the President based on integrity, willingness to serve, and relevant education-sector expertise: (1) a teacher representative from a public basic education institution, (2) a representative from an organization of deans of colleges of education, professional teachers and educators, (3) a representative from a national organization of private basic education institutions, and (4) a representative from an organization composed of school leaders from public or private basic education institutions.
Council members serve without compensation but are reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in carrying out duties.
The Council must meet at least four (4) times a year, and hold other meetings as called by the Chairperson or by a majority.
Regular members hold office for three (3) years and may be reappointed once for another three (3) years.

Council Functions, Testing, Incentives, and Coordination

The Council must establish a roadmap for teacher education for designing relevant, responsive, innovative, creative, and collaborative programs and submit it to CHED for inclusion in the national higher education roadmap.
The Council must strengthen the link between pre-service and in-service teacher education by collaborating with relevant agencies and stakeholders, including NEAP.
The Council must set and mandate basic requirements for teacher education programs, monitor and quality assure compliance to ensure a strong and transparent link between teacher education outcomes and professional standards, research, and international best practices, and ensure minimum requirements are implemented by CHED.
The Council must identify and designate Teacher Education-COEs among existing TEIs for CHED’s supervision, monitoring, and regulation, and must formulate a strategic plan to proactively develop Teacher Education-COEs in every region and province.
The Council must uphold the integrity of professional standards by formulating evidence-based policies and standards for teacher education and training in pre-service and in-service, including prescribing a national examination to determine eligibility for admission into a recognized TEI pre-service program and any subsequent successive pre-qualifying examination to determine whether knowledge, skills, and readiness are met prior to the licensure examination.
The Council must establish policies implementing a system of recognition affirming career stages achieved by teachers and school leaders based on professional standards, including maintaining a pool of national assessors.
The Council must support teachers and school leaders by setting and monitoring systematic requirements to assure quality and uniformity in career-stage recognition processes, linking professional standards across their professional life.
The Council must establish a policy on an incentives system using scholarships, grants-in-aid, loan programs, subsidies, stipends, and similar benefits and incentives, implemented by the UniFAST Board, to attract and encourage outstanding basic education graduates from public and private schools and tertiary students in non-education programs to pursue teacher education, and to encourage teachers to pursue graduate degrees in teacher education.
Applicants who benefited from other incentives under existing laws must be ineligible to avail of the incentives under the Act.
The Council must systematically monitor, evaluate, and report on implementation of professional standards, including professional development programs offered by NEAP or other providers, to promote exemplary practices and enhance the profession’s standing.
The Council must ensure the system to professionalize teachers aligns with professional standards and the Philippine Qualifications Framework, incorporates feedback mechanisms to stakeholders, and includes comprehensive analysis of factors affecting graduates’ performance.
The Council must ensure licensure examination transparency through the release of the most recent licensure examination questions and corresponding answers immediately after administration by PRC, and the release of results of item analyses and other relevant test statistics to the Council.
The Council must recommend strategies to TEIs and HEIs for implementing Republic Act No. 10647 (“Ladderized Education Act of 2014”) to provide educational and career advancement opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers, including para-teachers and learning support aides.
Learning support aides must be persons who work with teachers in collaboration and contribute to provision of learning opportunities that promote achievement and progression of learners.
The Council must recommend strategies to DepEd and CHED to attract and recruit outstanding high school graduates to pursue education degrees and ensure a seamless transition from higher education to teaching employment; other qualified professionals may also be recruited into teaching subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations.
The Council must undertake, apply, and share research related to teaching and school leadership, maintain a central repository of literature on teacher education, and conduct relevant studies (by itself or through third parties) for policy formulation and successful implementation of plans, programs, and projects under the Act.
The Council may create, reorganize, or abolish offices under the Secretariat for administrative and technical support and may form committees to advise or assist the Council in any function under the Act.
The Council must encourage consortia and cooperative arrangements among public and private TEIs for efficiency and economy in resource use.
The Council must review existing policies and recommend new legislation and policies to continuously improve and strengthen teacher education and promote the welfare of teachers and school leaders.
The Council may call upon any department, bureau, office, government corporation, local government unit, and other concerned agencies for assistance in areas within their mandates.
The Council must maintain a list of all TEIs in coordination with CHED.
The Council must promulgate rules and regulations and exercise other powers necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives.

Advisor to Council and Secretariat Organization

The Philippine Normal University, designated as the National Center for Teacher Education under Republic Act No. 9647, serves as advisor to the Council.
The Philippine Normal University must provide research-based, strategic, innovative recommendations and technical support on teacher education.
A Secretariat assists the Council in executing its policies and programs and provides administrative and technical support.
The Secretariat is headed by an Executive Director who exercises general supervision and control over technical and administrative personnel of offices under the Secretariat.
The Executive Director is assisted by a Deputy Executive Director who coordinates and oversees regional operations.
The Council fixes the Secretariat staffing pattern and determines qualifications, functions, and compensation scheme for positions created, and prepares the necessary budget for Secretariat operationalization.
The Secretariat initially includes these offices headed by a Director:
- Quality Pre-service Teacher Education Office: coordinates TEIs’ resource-sharing and best practices; conducts study and evaluation of licensure examination content; and performs other Council-assigned functions.
- Quality Teaching Office: ensures professional standards application fairly and consistently nationwide; formulates policies for a National Career Assessment Program; assists in evaluation of teacher proficiency and certification of career stages; coordinates research and development of proficiency-enhancing materials; and performs other Council-assigned functions.
- Finance and Administration Office: oversees financial operations and human-resource functions and performs other Council-assigned functions.

Teacher Education Scholarship Program and Student Support

A Teacher Education Scholarship Program (TESP) is established for deserving basic education graduates from public and private schools and tertiary level students to pursue an undergraduate teacher education degree program in all Teacher Education-COEs.
The TESP is implemented by the UniFAST Board.
The TESP financial assistance includes:
- free tuition and other school fees;
- allowance for prescribed books, supplies and learning materials;
- research support grant;
- clothing or uniform allowance;
- allowance for dormitory or boarding house accommodation;
- transportation allowance;
- thesis/dissertation/project allowance;
- research publication fee, if applicable;
- licensure examination review fees;
- licensure fees; and
- other education-related miscellaneous subsistence or living allowances.
The Council must determine and incorporate the TESP eligibility criteria and conditions for acceptance and disqualification into an incentives system policy.
Grantees of other incentives under existing laws are prohibited from availing the incentives under the TESP.
A Student Incentives Support Office is established to attract and encourage top caliber students to teaching and establish scholarship programs implemented by the UniFAST Board.
The Student Incentives Support Office must develop an annual implementation plan in coordination with DepEd that includes thorough teacher demand analysis and a recruitment campaign.
The Student Incentives Support Office must establish a partnership program with private and public basic education schools for an annual career talk to orient and encourage top caliber students to join teaching.
The Student Incentives Support Office must provide screening guidelines for highly competent faculty and professionals from TEIs to qualify and serve as mentors for pre-service teachers.
The Student Incentives Support Office must operate a scholarship program that includes:
- developing and conducting an annual competitive examination and qualification standards for incoming undergraduates who may receive full TESP benefits;
- monitoring to ensure TESP scholars complete their course only in private or public TEIs designated as COEs;
- coordinating with regional offices for regional support and coordination;
- ensuring TESP scholars are mentored throughout study; and
- promulgating and periodically reviewing qualification criteria for scholars and mentors for Council approval.

NEAP Institutionalization, Duties, and Funds

The National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) is institutionalized to provide quality professional development programs on teacher education to in-service teachers, school leaders, and other teaching-related personnel in all public and private basic education institutions.
The NEAP must employ a world-class approach to professional development based on strong evidence and research.
The NEAP is a component unit of DepEd.
The NEAP is headed by an Executive Director appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of DepEd.
The Secretary of DepEd must establish NEAP organizational structure, fix the staffing pattern, and determine qualifications, functions, and compensation for positions created.
The NEAP must collaborate with the Council for coherence and continuity between pre-service and in-service education and training.
The NEAP must design and implement professional development programs in accordance with professional standards.
The NEAP must coordinate, oversee, and monitor NEAP-recognized courses, seminars, workshops, and other professional development programs provided by DepEd units and public or private universities, colleges, and training institutions.
The NEAP must conduct research and evaluation of the effectiveness of the professional development programs it recognizes and provides under NEAP-recognized activities.
The NEAP must ensure equitable access to professional development programs for teachers and school leaders.
The NEAP must provide scholarships and fellowships for in-service teachers, school leaders, and other teaching-related personnel in public basic education institutions to pursue advanced studies in specialized fields, subject to corresponding service obligations.
The NEAP must maintain a professional development information system containing recognized programs, providers, and attendance records with professional development credit units earned.
The NEAP must strengthen collaboration with learning service providers and stakeholders.
The NEAP must coordinate with PRC for recognition or accreditation of its programs to comply with continuing professional development requirements.
The NEAP must collaborate with TEIs in delivering professional development programs.
The NEAP may charge reasonable fees for use of its facilities and participation in professional development programs not adequately funded from the DepEd budget.
The NEAP may receive in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal properties of all kinds, and must record such items as a special account or fund known as the NEAP Fund.
The NEAP Fund must be administered exclusively for NEAP benefit or aid to teachers, school leaders, and other teaching-related personnel for in-service professional development, subject to DepEd guidelines and other applicable rules.
The NEAP must manage the amount received from the DepEd appropriated budget necessary for objectives, operations, improvement, and activities.
The NEAP must provide access to professional development programs for private school teachers, school leaders, and other teaching-related personnel.
The NEAP may extend scholarships and fellowships as deemed necessary.

Appointments, Secretariat Staffing, and Transitional Setup

The Executive Director of the Secretariat is appointed by the Chairperson of the Council upon concurrence of Council members.
The Executive Director has a fixed term of five (5) years, unless sooner removed by concurrence of the Council.
The Executive Director is not eligible for reappointment.
The Executive Director must have engaged in teaching practice for at least ten (10) years.
The Executive Director must hold at least a master’s degree in education or any related field.
The Executive Director must have contributed to improving teacher quality or teacher education in the country.
The Executive Director is entitled to the rank, privileges, and emoluments of an Executive Director V.
Deputy Executive Director and Directors are selected by the Council in accordance with rules and procedures on selection and classification of career executive services members.
Selection must comply with the Compensation and Position Classification System subject to DBM review and approval.
The Executive Director appointment period structure is governed by transitory provisions within the Act’s timelines.

Implementation Review, Reporting, Oversight, and IRR

Every five (5) years, the Secretary of DepEd, the Chairperson of CHED, and the President of the Advisor to the Council conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of DepEd and CHED’s implementation of teacher education policies.
The Council must coordinate closely with these agencies and receive required annual reports:
- DepEd must provide an annual report on learner development and needs in basic education; competencies and learning areas needing attention; performance in international assessments; hiring and performance of teachers; training and career development of teachers; evaluation of quality of professional learning courses; and other Council-required information.
- CHED must provide an annual report on TEI status and performance in teacher education program implementation, including curriculum development, admission and student performance, potential TEIs as COEs, faculty performance, researches conducted and published, institutions applying for recognition, non-performing TEIs, and other relevant teacher education matters.
- PRC must provide an annual report and analysis of teacher professionalization, including licensure examination content and results and periodic merit examination results, TEI passing rates, and other Council-requested matters relevant to teacher education improvement.
- TESDA must provide an annual report on Tech-Voc program development; Tech-Voc industries; status and performance of public and private TESDA-accredited institutions; employability and learner performance in senior high school in the Tech-Voc track; and other Council-required information.
- NCCA must provide an annual report on creative industries development, indigenous industries matters, and other relevant areas on social sciences and history, national heritage, and creative arts.
- UniFAST Board must implement TESP in coordination with CHED and the Council, and must provide an annual report on scholarships and other financial assistance, number of beneficiaries, Teacher Education-COEs involved, and other Council-required information.
Local government units must include development and improvement of teacher education through Teacher Education-COEs in their respective regional plans, programs, and projects.
The Council must submit an annual report to Congress on or before the fifteenth day of June each year on the status and progress of teacher education and teacher quality and recommendations promoting quality education through teacher education.
The annual report must cover roadmap progress, issues/problems and Council solutions, and professionalization initiatives to improve teaching practice, plus other areas set under the implementing rules and regulations.
The annual report submission commences three (3) years from constitution of the Council.
A Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) on Teacher Education is created to oversee, monitor, and evaluate implementation of the Act.
The JCOC has five (5) members from each of the Senate and House.
The Chairpersons of the Basic Education Committees of both houses are Co-Chairpersons.
The Chairpersons of the Higher and Technical Education Committees of both Houses are designated as members.
The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate designate the remaining three (3) members: respectively from among Basic Education Committee members, with one (1) member from the Minority.
The Secretary of Education must immediately include in DepEd’s budget the amount necessary for effective implementation of the Act.
On the second year of implementation, and thereafter, the Council and its Secretariat must have their own budget in the annual General Appropriations Act as an attached agency of DepEd.
The budget of NEAP continues to be part of DepEd’s budget.
The implementing rules and regulations must be issued within sixty (60) days after the Act’s effectivity by DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and PRC in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
IRR takes effect thirty (30) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Copies of the IRR as published must be transmitted to Congress within three (3) months after effectivity through the Chairpersons of the Senate and House Basic Education Committees.

Transitional and Separability and Repeal

Existing Council personnel continue in holdover capacity until organizational structure and Secretariat staffing pattern are approved, with the preparation and approval respecting security of tenure and seniority rights of affected government employees as far as practicable.
Within three (3) months after effectivity, the President appoints the Council regular members in consultation with the Secretary of DepEd; existing Council members serve in holdover capacity until a full and permanent Council functions.
Within three (3) months after appointment of regular members, the Council Chairperson appoints the Secretariat Executive Director with concurrence of other members.
Within three (3) months after effectivity, the Council submits the Secretariat organizational structure, staffing pattern, and compensation schedule to DBM for funding.
Existing NEAP personnel must transition to the new NEAP structure created by the Secretary of DepEd, and new items must be created to augment NEAP personnel complement in coordination with DBM.
Recruitment, selection, and hiring of new personnel must follow Civil Service Commission rules and regulations on personnel action.
If any provision or part of the Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected remain in full force and effect.
Republic Act No. 7784 and all other laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, or parts inconsistent with or contrary to this Act are repealed or amended accordingly.