MANILA, Philippines — A new policy for licensure examinations for teachers will improve the quality of education and the supply of educators, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Teacher Education Council (TEC) said in a statement on Saturday.
This came after the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) signed a joint memorandum circular (JMC) aligning the licensure examination for professional teachers (LEPT) with the updated teacher education curriculum.
“With graduates assessed through examinations tailored to their field of study, DepEd can ensure that teaching assignments better match a teacher’s expertise, a critical factor in improving instructional quality and learning outcomes across the basic education system,” the department said in a statement.
“This JMC has the potential of addressing drawbacks in teacher supply, particularly in early childhood education and technical-vocational education in senior high schools, as graduates will be encouraged to take these programs in our teacher education institutions,” TEC Executive Director Jennie Jocson added in the same statement.
Teacher examinations will be administered separately by field of specialization under the newly signed circular, including distinct exams for elementary education focused on Early Childhood Education and Special Needs Education.
This will also include separate examinations for secondary education teachers with specializations in English, Filipino, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Values Education, Technology and Livelihood Education, Technical-Vocational Teacher Education, Physical Education, and Culture and Arts Education.
The new licensure exam tracks will be implemented beginning this September.
Source: New licensure exam policy seen to improve teacher quality, supply
