MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education listed criteria on hiring kindergarten teachers, urging schools to accept holders of related bachelors' degrees.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that the guidelines aim to provide a standard in the selection of teachers of kinder students.
“We must adhere to quality standards in preparing our young learners, it therefore follows that our teachers must be equipped with the required standard as regards competence and qualifications,” Luistro said.
A kindergarten teacher must either be a Bachelor in Early Childhood Education (ECE), Bachelor of Science Preschool Education, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Family Life and Child Development, Bachelor in Elementary Education with specialization in Preschool or Early Childhood Education, Bachelor in Elementary Education major in Teaching Early grades, Luistro said.
Those with a Bachelor in Secondary Education with an additional diploma in ECE and an experience in teaching kindergarten learners as well as those with related courses having at least 18 units in ECE/Child Development can be qualified, he said.
“Kindergarten is mandatory and offered free in all public schools nationwide as part of their first school experience under K to 12,” Luistro added.