The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday, June 23, confirmed that around 1,700 Senior High School (SHS) teachers - whose provisional appointments are set to expire by July this year - were granted renewal by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

“The Department is grateful to the Commission for granting our appeal to renew and extend the provisional appointments of our SHS teachers,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

“This will further ensure unhampered delivery of learning and continuous teaching services of our SHS provisional teachers to our learners,” she added.

DepEd received on June 17 the notice of resolution from CSC granting the reappointment of the provisional SHS teachers first hired in 2016 in light of the postponement of the administration of the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) this year.

The request was filed by DepEd in February 2021.

Undersecretary for Planning, Human Resource, and Organization Development Jesus Mateo said that the CSC Resolution No. 2100451 dated June 15, 2021 shall “serve as standing policy to extend the appointments of the affected SHS provisional teachers for another school year; provided they show proof that they have previous attempt to acquire Eligibility in the last five years and that there is no available LEPT eligible applicants in the Division.”

“The resolution noted that the provisional appointee to be renewed is subject to termination should a qualified LEPT eligible applicant becomes available and willing to teach in the relevant specialized subject,” DepEd explained.

Since the first implementation of the SHS in 2016, the DepEd hired non-LEPT graduates of science, mathematics, statistics, engineering, music, and other degree courses in the absence of qualified LEPT eligible to teach in specialized subjects in the SHS, pursuant to Section 8 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.

DepEd noted that under existing CSC rules and regulations, these “appointees are hired under provisional appointment for a period allowable by law.”

Meanwhile, DepEd noted that the provisional appointments are issued to an appointee “who meets all the requirements of the position” except for the eligibility but only in the absence of a qualified eligible candidate who is available and willing to accept the appointment, as certified by the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).