Validity and Renewal of Pre-existing Special Permits
- Special permits issued before the law’s effectivity with three-year validity may be renewed once for two years (non-renewable thereafter).
- Special permits with five-year validity issued before the law cannot be renewed.
- Validity and renewal periods are counted from the date on the Board Resolution, not the fee payment date.
Regulatory Cooperation and Procedural Requirements
- The Board of Professional Teachers (BPT) and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will only consider applications when DepEd or ARMM provides official lists showing areas with teacher shortages.
- ARMM submits identified shortage areas via a Memorandum Circular to BPT and PRC.
- Application for issuance or renewal requires payment of PHP 200 per year or PHP 400 for two years; renewal fee is PHP 400 for an additional two years.
Legal Mandate on Teacher Registration and Employment
- DepEd Order No. 16 s. 2005 prohibits employment of teachers not registered with PRC, emphasizing the requirement of professional registration to practice teaching.
- DepEd will not issue certifications identifying shortage areas unless a need exists, reflecting sufficiency of registered teachers nationwide.
Implementation and Effectivity
- The resolution implementing these guidelines was promulgated by BPT under its quasi-legislative powers.
- It takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
- The resolution is to be broadly disseminated to DepEd and ARMM education authorities to ensure compliance and awareness.
Summary of Fees
- Initial special permit issuance: PHP 200/year or PHP 400 for two years.
- Permit renewal: PHP 400 for a non-extendible two-year period.
Important Legal Concepts
- Special/temporary permits serve as transitional measures for near-passers of the licensure exam to address teacher shortage areas.
- The permit’s validity is strictly controlled to encourage eventual compliance with full licensure.
- Inter-agency coordination is mandatory to ensure issuance of permits only where there is demonstrated need.
- Non-compliance with registration requirements precludes employment in public or private schools, safeguarding teaching standards.
- The limitation on renewal underscores the temporary nature of para-teaching permits.
This legal framework ensures that para-teachers hired under special permits operate within delineated geographic limits where professional teachers are unavailable, maintaining teaching standards through regulated issuance and renewal processes, coordinated between educational and regulatory bodies.