Schools using unaccredited teachers–DepEd

Many private schools in Central Visayas are employing unaccredited teachers whom they can pay lower salaries than board passers, education officials said yesterday.

Regional Director Ricaredo Borgonia of the Department of Education (DepEd) said persons who teach without passing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) violate Republic Act No. 7836 or the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994.

Under the law, no person shall practice the teaching profession without obtaining a valid certificate of registration and professional license.

Borgonia said DepEd gives extension to schools that employ unaccredited teachers provided they take the exam.

Arturo Tangal, director of the Harvest Christian School International and president of the Cebu City Private Schools Administration, said some schools decide to hire the teachers who don’t pass the board due to the shortage of accredited teachers.

He said most teachers decide to teach in public schools, which pay a P17,000 minimum salary while most private school teachers are minimum-wage earners.
Tangal said some teachers also join call centers, which offer larger salaries.

When asked if their school employs teachers without accreditation, Tangal answered that they are “more particular with the quality of teaching rather than the licensure.”

He said some teachers who have yet to take the board or failed the exam are more effective in the classrooms than the board passers.

Tangal said there are 176 private schools operating in Cebu City.

He said he doesn’t know how many Cebu City schools employ unaccredited teachers.

Dr. Marcial Degamo, head of DepEd-7’s Quality Assurance and Accountability Division said seven to eight percent of private schools in Central Visayas employ teachers without license.

Central Visayas has 760 private schools accredited by DepEd. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya