Due to the lack of available qualified and licensed teachers, the Department of Education (DepEd) received approval from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to allow the renewal of the provisional appointments of the affected Senior High School (SHS) teachers for School Year (SY) 2022-2023.
Citing CSC Resolution No. 2200353 dated Aug. 18, DepEd announced that the reassignment of SHS provisional teachers who were first hired in 2016 and 2017 has been allowed.
However, the teachers need to show proof that they have taken the licensure exam at least once in the past five years.
The K to 12 Law allows the acceptance of unlicensed teachers to teach specialized subjects in SHS provided that the provisional teacher must pass the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) within five years.
However, due to the ongoing pandemic, the administration of LEPT was limited, which also affected provisional teachers from receiving LEPT from 2020.
In 2021, DepEd asked the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and CSC to prioritize the call for the affected SHS provisional teachers who were first hired in 2016 to be accommodated in the LEPT administration and reassigned beyond the five-year allowable period.
With the recent issuance of the CSC, the teachers were granted another year extension of appointment --- along with those who were first hired in 2017.
The CSC reiterated its commitment to take into consideration future appeals from DepEd regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, DepEd said that it is currently working with the PRC for the reopening of the Online Application System to accommodate SHS provisional teachers who failed to obtain previous LEPTs in the scheduled exam this September 2022
The measures, DepEd said, are aimed at securing sufficient numbers of SHS teachers with the expertise and specialization required and ensuring the continued employment and livelihood of SHS teachers --- especially amid the pandemic.
DepEd said that it will issue implementing guidelines of CSC Resolution No. 2200353 to lay down specific rules and procedures --- especially in compliance with the conditions stated in the resolution.