MANILA – Senators and education stakeholders discussed Wednesday alternative modes of modernizing teacher licensing, eyed to address workforce shortage.
To date, teachers secure their licenses only after passing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), as mandated under Republic Act (RA) No. 7836, otherwise known as the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994.
During the hearing of the Senate Civil Service, Government Reorganization, and Professional Regulation Subcommittee presided by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the Teacher Education Council (TEC) proposed alternative pathways to teacher licensure and these include assessments through projects, portfolios, presentations, or multimedia presentations focusing on deeper understanding and skills instead of written exams.
Under the proposed Section 13-A, PRC would grant licenses through these new methods, with TEC piloting and studying their implementation.
TEC officials said the LET has become misaligned with modern teacher education programs, particularly for graduates of Early Childhood Education (BECEd) and Special Needs Education (BSNEd) who currently take the LET for elementary education despite different specializations.
Gatchalian said that “if alternative pathways are allowed, they should be evidence-based and designed to meet the evolving demands of education.”
“Admittedly, these pathways are quite innovative, outside of the usual licensure procedure, but they aim to expand licensure methodology in our country,” he added.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) supports alternative pathways to reduce barriers to the profession and address teacher shortages.
Data from the EDCOM 2 Year 2 Report (2025) and UNESCO (2024) highlighted mismatches in teacher deployment, with many junior high school teachers teaching subjects unrelated to their expertise. (PNA)