DepEd Still Has Over 20,000 Teacher Vacancies, Lawmaker Says

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has yet to fill over 20,000 teacher vacancies as well as an undisclosed number of non-teaching positions, a House lawmaker said on Tuesday. During the House sponsorship and plenary deliberations on DepEd’s proposed 2027 budget, ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio asked Davao de Oro Rep. Maricar Zamora, who was sponsoring the budget, about the number of vacant teaching positions. Zamora confirmed that there were over 20,000 vacant teaching positions and also indicated that there were numerous unfilled non-teaching posts. This issue could have a direct impact on the quality and accessibility of education in the Philippines. Particularly in rural and impoverished areas, a shortage of teachers could lead to increased burdens per student and widen educational disparities. Furthermore, unfilled non-teaching positions might result in inefficient school operations and compel teachers to spend time on tasks outside their primary educational duties. In the Philippines, the growing demand for education coupled with population growth has long posed challenges in teacher training, recruitment, and retention. Despite government initiatives aimed at increasing teacher salaries and improving working conditions, the persistent number of unfilled positions raises questions about the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the education system. Source: Inquirer NewsInfo