October 7, 2020 – In line with the celebration of the National Teachers’ Month, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH) presented a research study on teachers’ motivation, which supported the Department of Education’s initiative the career progression of teachers.

“I believe that we should honor, even as we are honoring now, our former teachers, those who continue to teach, [and those] who teach vocationally…. We may be asking ourselves, ‘Why do people teach at this time?’ [This] study shows that, possibly, [despite] the voice of a small minority, teachers go into formal teaching for the very same reason which our grandparents, mothers, and other relatives to go into teaching,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said during her keynote address.

Senior Specialist and INNOTECH Educational Research Unit Head Dr. Sherlyne Almonte Acosta presented the findings of the study, which showed that one of the motivations for educators in choosing to teach was economic considerations, which led to the push for revisiting the teachers’ career progression.

“Nag-apply po sila [teachers] for promotion. In fact, I mentioned that 81% of them succeeded in the applications for promotion. So, nangangahulugan lang na mayroon talagang willingness na umangat ang bawat guro,” Dr. Acosta said.

Undersecretary for Planning and Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development Jesus Mateo emphasized that the Department has lodged a policy concerning the career progression of teachers.

“I am happy to report that we are now almost have completed the policy on career progression, which will be jointly issued by DBM and [DepEd]. Based on the competency standards, one can now progress to the next higher position,” Undersecretary for Planning and Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development Jesus Mateo said.

Under the proposed policy, the Department will be creating teaching positions namely Teacher III, IV, V, VI, VII, and Master Teacher V, and will institutionalize merit-based promotion anchored on Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq. lauded the efforts of SEAMEO INNOTECH in coming up with a comprehensive study on teacher motivation, which could be supplemental for other policies focusing on teacher welfare.

“[On policy recommendations], ang isa nga po doon ay career progression at halos lahat ng binanggit niyo po doon ay mayroon nang ginagawa ang Kagawaran. Kami po ay very interested na makita ang pag-aaral ninyo para lalo pa po naming mapaghusay ang ginagawa ng Kagawaran, kung mayroon pa pong pwedeng gawin,” Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq. noted.

With the theme “TEACHER MOTIVATION: iTEACH FOR A BETTER FUTURE”, the National Teachers’ Month Forum was also joined by UP College of Education Dean Dr. Jerome Buenviaje, Philippine Normal University Former President Dr. Esther B. Ogena, and DepEd Division of Iloilo City Master Teacher II Dr. Alma Janagap.

The annual Teachers Forum was organized by INNOTECH as part of its contributions to the National Teachers Month Coordinating Council (NTMCC).

INNOTECH or the Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology, headed by Center Director and former Undersecretary of the Department of Education Dr. Ramon C. Bacani, is part of a regional intergovernmental organization dedicated to developing solutions to address education development concerns in Southeast Asia.

INNOTECH has been hosted by the Philippines since 1976 and serves the region through its service areas of research and innovation, training, and knowledge management.

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