DepEd set to hire 16,000 new teachers

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) expects that the teacher-student ratio and class sizes in public schools will improve soon, following the government’s approval of 16,000 additional teaching positions.

In a move aimed at enhancing the learning environment in public schools, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the creation of new teaching items under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

DepEd said the additional positions will also help address the shortage of specialized teachers in key areas, including kindergarten, elementary, and subject-specific roles in junior and senior high school.

The department is targeting to fill all new positions by the end of the third quarter this year.

DepEd, now headed by Secretary Sonny Angara, has already directed Schools Division Offices (SDOs) to immediately begin the publication, hiring, and appointment processes. This includes the acceptance of notices of organization, staffing, and compensation action (NOSCA) from the DBM’s regional offices.

Even prior to the approval, some SDOs had already begun recruiting and assessing applicants as early as October 2024.

DepEd said it will closely monitor the hiring process across regions to ensure there are no delays in implementing the improved teacher-student ratio and in creating a more conducive learning environment.

Angara expressed his gratitude to the president for supporting the education sector.

“Pinasasalamatan natin ang Pangulong Marcos sa kaniyang malinaw na utos na unahin ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral. Direktang sagot ito sa kaniyang panawagan na babaan ang class sizes at pagaanin ang trabaho ng mga guro sa mga paaralan,” said Angara.

He also thanked Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and the DBM for the swift action on the matter.

“Pinasasalamatan din natin si Secretary Amenah Pangandaman at ang DBM sa mabilis na aksyon sa ating kahilingan. Sinisiguro ng kanilang suporta na magiging handa ang ating mga paaralan na mag-welcome ng marami pang guro bago magsimula ang klase,” he added.

In addition to the new teaching positions, DepEd noted that thousands of items have also been allocated for non-teaching personnel. The hiring of these staff members is expected to improve administrative efficiency and allow teachers to focus solely on classroom instruction.

Secretary Angara also urged DepEd regional and division offices to expedite the recruitment process while ensuring that only highly qualified applicants are selected.

Despite the new positions, however, DepEd admitted that they still lack about 30,000 teachers for the upcoming school year.