The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement a fair and inclusive career progression system for public school teachers.
The group submitted a set of recommendations to the DepEd for the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the career progression of teachers. ACT is asking DepEd to release the draft of Executive Order 174, which establishes an expanded career progression system for public school teachers.
One of the recommendations of the ACT is the implementation of uniform guidelines and qualification standards across the country. This will address the current situation wherein regions and divisions use different guidelines and qualification standards for promotions that "lay them vulnerable to unfair practices such as favoritism and abuse of processes."
Moreover, ACT is pushing for promotions to be based on actual qualifications of teachers and not limited by ladderized or quantum leap promotions. For instance, teachers currently occupying Teacher III positions who are eligible for promotion to Master Teacher (MT) positions "should be promoted as such, and should no longer be required" to pass through the Teacher IV, V, VI, and VII positions.
The group also wants open promotions that are not limited by the number of vacant items, instead, current items occupied will be upgraded or reclassified based on the teachers' current actual qualifications, and can be further upgraded as the teachers' skills and qualifications progress.
Furthermore, ACT is calling for a clear and fair career progression plan for Head Teachers, who have not been mentioned in EO 174. "In no way should they be left out or disadvantaged in the career progression process," said Vladimer Quetua, the Chairman of ACT.
ACT is also pushing for the representation of the sole and exclusive negotiating agent of public school teachers in the body crafting the IRR for EO 174 and other policy-making bodies concerning the career progression program.
ACT emphasized that there should be a sufficient budget for the maximum implementation of the career progression program.
The group also wants more slots for teacher representation in the school/division promotion committees to accommodate both the representatives from the teachers' union and teachers' federation/association if the two are distinct and separate bodies.
DepEd should also accord due and favorable points to years of experience, remove the maximum limit of five points for years of experience.