The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to address the large gap in the number of schools without principals in the country, and to implement measures to better support and develop school heads during a hearing on November 8, 2024. The hearing uncovered various issues in staffing school heads, including outdated policies, and uncoordinated quality standards.
Chaired by EDCOM 2 Co-Chairpersons Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and Rep. Roman Romulo, the hearing was attended by DepEd officials, led by Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral and Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma. Also in attendance were EDCOM 2 Standing Committee members Dr. Dina Ocampo of the UP College of Education, Dr. Carmela Oracion of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development, and Dr. Maria Cristina Robles, herself a former school principal at Navotas National High School.
Recent consultations and research by EDCOM 2 show that effective school leadership has been shown to significantly impact school success and learner achievement. “Our own consultations in EDCOM show that school heads have a profound impact on teacher behavior, teamwork, job satisfaction, and student learning. In many schools we visited, it was clear that one of the main factors to improve the quality of education is having a good school principal”, Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee said.
24,480 schools without principals
DepEd data presented by Usec. Cabral showed that, out of more than 45,198 schools in the country, there are only 20,718 filled principal positions nationwide. Of the total, there are currently 2,882 vacancies. Meanwhile, the remaining 24,480 only have Teachers-In-Charge. However, TICs often lack standardized training and support, limiting their ability to perform effectively. Cabral noted that even if all remaining qualified NQESH passers are promoted, there will still be 18,576 schools without principals.
“Kulang na kulang tayo sa principals. Are you not panicking?”, EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo exhorted.
Cabral explained that the Department is limited to school head staffing parameters dating back to 1997, where teachers-in-charge are assigned if there are only one to six teachers in a school.
These schools have no plantilla positions because of a policy dating 1997, setting the School Staffing Standards for DepEd schools. The policy mandates that principals are only assigned for schools, single or aggregate, with at least 9 teachers for elementary, or 6 teachers for secondary.
“It’s taken us 27 years to realize na mali ‘yung parameters. Ano ‘yung suggestion ninyo?”, Romulo asked.
“We have this school organizational staffing standards where each school should have a principal…We are currently finalizing the new standards, with the help of EDCOM, since it will have budget implications”, Cabral answered. He detailed the plan to do away with the 1997 parameters of hiring school heads based on the number of teachers in a particular school.
Outdated rotation policy
Meanwhile, Department Order No. 7, series of 1999 that is still in effect today mandates that school heads and principals be transferred to other schools after three to five years.
“What is the rationale for 3 or 5 years? What do studies say?”, Sen. Gatchalian asked.
“Bakit nga ba three years? May paniniwala na doon mismo, parang wala na’ng innovation. Sa loob ng tatlo o limang taon, nagawa na niya [school head or principal] ang lahat. In the eyes of a newcomer, there might be some new vision”, Usec. Cabral said.
However, Gatchalian noted that this will not work in science high schools.
“For example in Valenzuela, we have a very math and science-oriented focused principal. And then when they undergo the rotation, they are replaced by a principal that is not science-focused, then the whole concept of a science school is lost. Hindi siya pwedeng one-size-fits-all”, he said. “They are created for a specific purpose…you cannot place just any principal there”, he continued.
“I suggest we look at that policy and come up with a different direction for special schools”, Gatchalian said.
Romulo agreed with the move to update the policy. “We must rationalize the policies that we have. Wala naman akong problema kung sabihin niyong for life na siya as a principal sa isang school – kasi he or she is performing well there. Perfect ‘yun, that should be rewarded”, he said.
“As we discuss decentralization, and empowering schools to respond better to their context, it is critical that we make sure that each school has a principal, and that each principal is well trained and supported to ensure learning is happening,” said Executive Director Yee.
“It is high time for DepEd to rationalize and update DepEd orders on school principals— dating back to 1997, 1999, 2011— to ensure that policies are coherent and responsive to our realities today”, he added.
