Professionalization of Teaching

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What does it mean to be a professional and to exhibit

professionalism? Depending on the context, these
concepts may evoke many images and have multiple
definitions. Professionalization is a process whereby
occupations have become, or seek to become, publicly
recognized as professions according to the degree to
which they meet the alleged criteria (Hoyle, 2001). A
professional could be said to be a person who has an
extremely developed talent or skill (Buijs, 2005).
 On the most basic level, the definition of
“professional teacher” refers to the status of a person
who is paid to teach. It can also, on a higher level, refer
to teachers who represent the best in the profession and
set the highest standard for best practice. For example,
Wise (1989) describes professional teachers as those who
have a firm grasp of the subjects they teach and are true
to the intellectual demands of their disciplines. They can
analyze the needs of the students for whom they are
responsible. They know the standards of practice of their
profession. They know that they are accountable for
meeting the needs of their students. All these, however,
would not suffice to completely describe a professional
teacher. Defining what is meant to be a professional
teacher is not a simple matter. This lesson takes up the
legal perspectives of defining a professional teacher.

A. Presidential Decree No. 1006

The Presidential Decree 1006 is a decree given by the late president
Ferdinand E. Marcos in the year 1977 providing the
professionalization of teachers regulating their practice in the
Philippines and other purposes.

Title This Decree shall be known as the Decree

Professionalizing Teaching
Declaration It is hereby declared a policy that teacher education
of Policy shall be given primary concern and attention by the
government and shall be of the highest quality, and
strongly oriented to Philippine conditions and the
needs and aspirations of the Filipino people even as
it seeks enrichment from adaptable ideas and
practices of other people.
Definition of Teachers refer to all persons engaged in teaching at
Terms the elementary and secondary levels, whether on a
full-time or part-time basis, including guidance
counselors, school librarians, industrial arts or
vocational teachers, and all other persons
performing supervisory and/or administrative
functions in all schools in the aforesaid levels and
legally qualified to practice teaching under this
Decree.

Board refers to the National Board for Teachers duly

constituted under this Decree with the following
composition:
 Co-chairman -
Secretary of Education and Culture
Chairman, Civil Service Commission
Members -
Commissioner, Professional Regulations
Commission
Two members representing the private sector
to be
appointed by the President

Qualificatio (a) Except those who have been engaged in

n teaching as herein defined for at least five
Requiremen years in schools in the Philippines not
ts for organized exclusively for nationals of a
Examination foreign country at the time of the effectivity of
Applicants this Decree, the applicant must be a citizen of
the Philippines;

(b) That he is of good moral character;

(c) That he is free from any physical and/or

mental defect which will incapacitate him to
render efficient service; and

(d) That he possesses the following minimum

educational qualifications:

 For teachers in the kindergarten and

elementary grades, Bachelor’s degree in
Elementary Education (B.S.E.Ed.) or its
equivalent;
 For teachers of the secondary schools,
Bachelor’s degree in Education or its
equivalent with a major and minor, or a
Bachelor’s degree in Arts or Sciences
with at least eighteen units in
professional education; and
 For teachers of secondary vocational
and two-year technical courses, a
Bachelor’s degree in the field of
specialization with at least eighteen
units in professional education.

All applications shall be filed with an office or

offices designated by the Board, preferably
the offices of the Civil Service Commission
and the Department of Education and Culture.
 These offices shall screen and approve such
applications and issue the corresponding
permits to take the examination to qualify
applicants.
Scope of the The examination shall consist of written tests, the
Examination scope of which shall be determined by the Board,
taking into consideration the teaching plan of the
schools legally constituted in the Philippines
Ratings in In order that a candidate may be deemed to have
the successfully passed the examinations, he must have
Examination obtained a general average of at least 70 percent in
all subjects, with no rating below 50 percent in any
subject.
Report of The examiners shall report the ratings obtained by
the Results each candidate to the Board within 150 days after
of the last day of the examination unless extended by
Examination the latter.
Issuance of Teachers who have passed examinations given by
Certificates the Civil Service Commission or jointly by the Civil
Service Commission and the Department of
Education and Culture shall be considered as having
passed the board examinations for teachers. The
Board may consider their certificates of rating as
certificates of eligibility or issue an entirely new
certificate upon registration of the teacher and
payment of the corresponding fees.

This provision shall likewise apply to those teachers

who have permanent appointments under the
Magna Carta For Public School Teachers and all
others who may be qualified for registration as
professional teachers under this Decree.
Prohibition Three years after the effectivity of this Decree, no
person shall engage in teaching and/or act as a
teacher as defined in this Decree, whether in the
public or private elementary or secondary school,
unless he is a holder of a Professional Teacher
Certificate or is considered a Professional Teacher
under this Decree.

B. Republic Act 7836

The Republic Act 7836 is otherwise known as the Teachers
Professionalization Act of 1994. This is an act to strengthen the
regulation and supervision of the practice of teaching in the
Philippines and prescribing a licensure examination for teachers and
other purposes.

Title This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Teachers

 Professionalization Act of 1994."
Declaration of The State recognizes the vital role of teachers in
Policy nation-building and development through a
responsible and literate citizenry. Towards this
end, the State shall ensure and promote quality
education by proper supervision and regulation of
the licensure examination and professionalization
of the practice of the teaching profession.
Definition of Teachers refers to all persons engaged in teaching
Terms at the elementary and secondary levels, whether
on a full-time or part-time basis, including industrial
arts or vocational teachers and all other persons
performing supervisory and/or administrative
functions in all schools in the aforesaid levels and
qualified to practice teaching under this Act.

Board refers to the Board for Professional Teachers

duly established and constituted under this Act.
The composition includes five (5) members who shall
be appointed by the President of the Philippines
from among the recommendees chosen by the
Commission. The recommendees shall be chosen
from the list of nominees selected by the
accredited association of teachers, who duly
possess all the qualifications prescribed in Section 8
of this Act.

Commission refers to the Professional Regulation

Commission.
Qualification (a) A citizen of the Philippines or an alien whose
Requirements country has
for Examination reciprocity with the Philippines in the practice of
Applicants the teaching profession;
(b) At least eighteen (18) years of age;
(c) In good health and of good reputation with high
moral
values;
(d) Has not been convicted by final judgment by a
court for
an offense involving moral turpitude;
(e) A graduate of a school, college, or university
recognized by the government and possesses
the minimum educational qualifications, as
follows:
 For teachers in preschool, a bachelor's
degree in early childhood education (BECED)
or its equivalent;
 For teachers in the elementary grades, a
bachelor's degree in elementary education
 (BSEED) or its equivalent;
 For teachers in the secondary grades, a
bachelor's degree in education or its
equivalent with a major and minor, or a
bachelor's degree in arts and sciences
with at least ten (10) units in professional
education; and
 For teachers of vocational and two-year
technical courses,
a bachelor's degree in the field of
specialization or its
equivalent, with at least eighteen (18) units
in professional education.
Scope of the The examinations for the elementary and
Examination secondary school teachers shall be separate. The
examination for teachers in
the elementary level shall consist of two (2) parts,
namely: professional education and general
education. The examination for teachers in the
secondary level shall consist of three (3) parts,
namely: professional education, general education,
and field of specialization.
Ratings in the (To be determined by the Commission)
Examination
Report of the The Board shall, within one hundred twenty (120)
Results of days after the examination, report the ratings
Examination obtained by each candidate to the Professional
Regulation Commission for approval and
appropriate action.
Issuance of The registration of a professional teacher
Certificates commences from the date his name is enrolled in
the roster of professional teachers. Every
registrant who has satisfactorily met all the
requirements specified in this Act shall, upon
payment of the registration fee, be issued a
certificate of registration as a professional teacher
bearing the full name of the registrant with serial
number and date of issuance signed by the
chairman of the Commission and the chairman,
vice-chairman, and members of the Board, stamped
with the official seal, as evidence that the person
named therein is entitled to practice the profession
with all the rights and privileges appurtenant
thereto. The certificate shall remain in full force and
effect until withdrawn, suspended, and/or revoked
in accordance with the law. A professional license
signed by the chairman of the Commission and
bearing the registration number and date of
issuance thereof and the month of expiry or
 renewability shall likewise be issued to every
registrant who has paid the annual registration fees
for three (3) consecutive years. This license shall
serve as evidence that the licensee can lawfully
practice his profession until the expiration of its
validity.
Oath Before Every registrant shall be required to take
Practice His/her professional oath before practicing as a
professional teacher.
Revocation of The Board shall have the power, after due notice
the Certificate of and hearing, to
Registration, suspend or revoke the certificate of registration of
Suspension from any registrant, to reprimand or to cancel the
the temporary/special permit of a holder thereof who is
The practice of exempt from registration, for any of the following
the Teaching causes:
Profession, and  Conviction for any criminal offense by a court
Cancellation of of competent jurisdiction;
Temporary or  Immoral, unprofessional, or dishonorable
Special conduct;
Permit  Declaration by a court of competent
jurisdiction for being mentally
unsound or insane;
 Malpractice, gross incompetence, gross
negligence or serious ignorance of the
practice of the teaching profession;
 The use of or the perpetration of any fraud or
deceit in obtaining a certificate of
registration, professional license, or
special/temporary permit;
 Chronic inebriety or habitual use of drugs;
 Violation of any of the provisions of this Act,
the rules and regulations and other policies of
the Board and the Commission, and the code
of ethical and
professional standards for professional
teachers; and
 Unjustified or willful failure to attend
seminars, workshops, conferences, and the
like or the continuing education program
prescribed by the Board and the
Commission.

The decision of the Board to revoke or suspend a

certificate may be appealed to the regional trial
court of the place where the Board holds office
within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the said
decision or of the denial of the motion for
 reconsideration filed in due time.
The inhibition Except as otherwise allowed under this Act, no
against the person shall practice or offer to practice the
Practice of teaching profession in the Philippines or be
Teaching appointed as a teacher to any position calling for a
Profession teaching position without having previously
obtained a
a valid certificate of registration and a valid
professional license from the Commission.

C. Republic Act 9293

The Republic Act 9293 is an n Act Amending Certain Sections of R.A.
7836 (Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994)
Amendments to R.A. 7836
Number of units required in professional education for non-
education graduates
 18 units in Professional Education
Registration of those engaged in teaching without examination
 Article III section 26 –No person shall engage in teaching
and/or act as a professional teacher, elementary or
secondary level as defined in this Act, whether in preschool,
elementary or secondary unless the person is duly
registered professional teacher, and a holder of a valid
certificate of registration and a valid professional license or
a holder of a valid special/temporary permit.
Special Permit
 For para-teachers who failed to pass the examination. They
must obtain a rating not lower than five percent from the
passing general average rating
 A special permit may also be used by the Board to a person
who has excelled and gained international and is a widely
acknowledged expert in his or her respective field of
specialization
Professional teachers who have not practiced their professions for
the past five (5) years shall take at least 12 units of education
courses, consisting of at least 6 unit of pedagogy and 6 units of
context courses or the equivalent training and number of hours to
be chosen from a list of courses to be provided by the Board and
the Department of Education before they can be allowed to
practice their profession in the country.
A holder of eligibility as a teacher issued by the Civil Service
Commission and the Department of Education, Culture and Sports
and a registered professional teacher with the National Board for
Teachers under the Department of Education, Culture and Sports
pursuant to P.D. 1006 can be issued a license without
examination.