Marcos signs law institutionalizing promotions for teachers

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12288, institutionalizing a Career Progression System for public school teachers and school leaders to support professional development and career growth.

The new law introduces a competency-based promotion system that allows elementary and secondary teachers to advance based on merit and qualifications.

Positions from Teacher I to Master Teacher I will form the base of the expanded career progression framework, where promotions are non-hierarchical and guided by professional standards.

Qualified educators may enter any position within this base if they meet Civil Service Commission (CSC) standards and the Teacher Education Council (TEC) benchmarks on career stage indicators.

The CSC, Department of Education (DepEd), TEC, and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) are mandated to harmonize qualification standards across all teaching levels using a standards-based assessment approach.

To broaden promotion opportunities, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will create new teaching titles including Teacher IV to Teacher VII, Master Teacher V to Master Teacher VI, and School Principal V.

These positions will be integrated into the official Index of Occupational Services, Groups, Classes, and Salary Grades.

The DepEd was tasked to develop evaluation guidelines for promotions, including an open assessment process, criteria, point system, and standards-based measures to ensure fairness and transparency.

The TEC will regularly review and align the roles of the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) and the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development (BHROD) to strengthen implementation.

Within 90 days of the law’s effectivity, the DepEd, CSC, PRC, and DBM, in consultation with the TEC and other education stakeholders, must issue implementing rules and regulations.

These guidelines will take effect 30 days after being published in a newspaper of general circulation.