‘Schools with unlicensed teachers will face closure’

THE Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) warned last week  that they will close private schools that  continue to hire unaccredited teachers.

Dr. Marcial Degamo, head of DepEd-7’s Quality Assurance and Accountability Division said their office issued a memorandum ordering all division superintendents in Central Visayas to report private schools who hire unaccredited teachers.

“It is not allowable. What is mandated by the school guidelines should be followed,” Degamo said in an interview.

Degamo said continuous employment of teachers who don’t pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) would affect the quality of education set by their agency.

Under Republic Act No. 7836 or the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994, no person shall practice the teaching profession without obtaining a valid certificate of registration and professional license.

He said they are monitoring private schools by conducting an ocular inspection and checking the employees’ record during the renewal of their permit to operate.

However, Degamo admitted they have  yet to  cite  any private school in Central Visayas for the violation.

Some schools advise them that their teachers are set to take the soonest possible LET schedule.

However, he admitted that they have difficulty in keeping track of more than 700 private schools in Central Visayas.

Parents are encouraged to check the private schools before they would enroll their children.

“They should also check the license of the schools and inquire about their license to operate,” he said.

He encouraged parents to  inform their office if private schools would be known to operate without complying with DepEd guidelines. /Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya