MANILA, (PIA) — Senator Win Gatchalian has emphasized the urgent need to expedite the Department of Education’s (DepEd) hiring process for teaching and non-teaching positions.
During a Senate Committee on Finance hearing on DepEd’s proposed 2025 budget, Gatchalian noted that the current hiring process can take up to six months and involves coordination with agencies such as the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
As of May 24, 2024, DepEd has 46,703 unfilled positions, with 58% (26,984) being teaching roles. For fiscal year 2025, DepEd plans to create 20,000 new teaching positions, but the agency has reported a total shortfall of 56,050 teachers, which requires an estimated budget of P15.4 billion.
“The number of teachers we need continues to grow with our student population, and filling the 26,000 vacant positions would help address the teacher shortage,” Gatchalian stated.
The senator also highlighted the importance of hiring administrative officers to alleviate the non-teaching workload of teachers. The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) reported that public school teachers are currently burdened with over 50 administrative and ancillary tasks. In response, DepEd Order No. 02 s. 2024 mandates the removal of these tasks from teachers.
“I’m very pleased that next year, we will be hiring 10,000 administrative officers, which means about a fourth of our 43,000 schools will have dedicated administrative staff,” Gatchalian added.
The National Expenditure Program (NEP) allocates P3.43 billion for hiring non-teaching positions, but DepEd has indicated a need for 20,668 additional personnel, requiring an estimated P7.9 billion.
In response to concerns about the hiring process, Secretary of Education Sonny Angara assured the Senate Finance panel that the department has directed school divisions to accelerate their hiring efforts. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
