DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2016: Addendum to SHS Teacher Hiring Guidelines

DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2016, dated May 23, 2016, is an addendum to DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2016 (Hiring Guidelines for Senior High School Teaching Positions). It adds to, clarifies, changes, and in some cases deletes parts of those guidelines, which took effect for School Year (SY) 2016-2017. It was signed by then Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC.

If you are applying for a Senior High School (SHS) teaching post, or you sit on a selection board or handle hiring in a division office, read this order together with DO 3, s. 2016.

On this page 6 sections

Key points

• Who DepEd may hire. Following RA 10533 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (DO No. 43, s. 2015), DepEd may hire four groups for the subjects that need them:
  • graduates of science, mathematics, statistics, engineering, music, and other courses where qualified Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) applicants are scarce. They must pass the LET within five years of being hired. The LET is not required if they teach part-time.
  • technical-vocational graduates who hold TESDA certification and undergo in-service training paid for by DepEd.
  • full-time faculty of higher education institutions (HEIs) who hold a relevant bachelor’s degree.
  • practitioners with expertise in specialized learning areas, on a part-time basis only.
• New terms defined. Track, strand, and industry. SHS has four tracks: Academic, Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL), Arts and Design, and Sports.
• Promotion rules.
  • No promotion within six months before compulsory retirement, unless the law provides otherwise.
  • All qualified next-in-rank employees are automatically considered for promotion.
  • Appointment by promotion or by transfer requires a rating of at least Very Satisfactory for the last three rating periods.
• Validity of vacancy postings. A published vacancy stays valid until filled, but for no more than six months. The publication requirement is met if screening starts within six months and the post is filled within nine months. If not, the vacancy must be published again.
• Expanded Personnel Selection Board (PSB). When evaluating SHS applicants who already work in DepEd, the PSB adds one member:
  • an industry or organization representative, for Academic track and core subject applicants; or
  • an Education Program Supervisor or Specialist, for TVL, Arts and Design, and Sports track applicants.
• No-relationship disclosure. PSB and Division Selection Committee (DSC) members sign a Disclosure of No Relationship Form. Any member related to an applicant must step out of that applicant’s evaluation.
• Quorum and deliberation. A quorum of the DSC (50% + 1) is enough to proceed. The PSB deliberates en banc, meaning as a full body.
• English Proficiency Test (EPT). Applicants who took the English Proficiency Test in 2014 or later may choose not to retake it.
• Hiring non-LET passers. The Schools Division Superintendent must personally certify three things to the Civil Service Commission (CSC):
  • qualified LET passers on the Registry of Qualified Applicants have been exhausted;
  • recruitment efforts were fully made; and
  • there are highly meritorious and justifiable reasons for the appointment.
• Protests. Protests on appointments no longer go through the grievance machinery. They go first to the appointing authority, then to the CSC Regional Office, then to the CSC Proper.

Who it covers

The order is addressed to the following:

• Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries
• Bureau and Services Directors
• Regional Directors
• Schools Division Superintendents
• public elementary and secondary school heads
• all others concerned

It applies to hiring for SHS teaching positions under DO 3, s. 2016.

What schools and offices need to do

• Schools Division Offices (SDOs): prepare the Disclosure of No Relationship Form for PSB and DSC members.
• Division Testing Coordinators: request official EPT scores from the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) for applicants who say they took the test in 2014 or later.
• Schools Division Superintendents: sign the certification for any non-LET passer whose appointment goes to the CSC, and submit it with the appointment papers. The order says a template is enclosed.
• Everyone involved in hiring: follow the promotion and performance rating rules, the vacancy posting periods, and the new protest route.

Effectivity

The SHS hiring guidelines in DO 3, s. 2016 and this addendum take effect immediately after approval by the CSC Regional Office. Any later amendments must also be submitted to the CSC Regional Office for approval. Other issuances that conflict with this order are deemed modified, effective immediately.

Full text of DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2016

May 23, 2016

Addendum to DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2016 (Hiring Guidelines for Senior High School (SHS) Teaching Positions Effective School Year (SY) 2016-2017)

To:

• Undersecretaries
• Assistant Secretaries
• Bureau and Services Directors
• Regional Directors
• Schools Division Superintendents
• Public Elementary and Secondary School Heads
• All Others Concerned

1. The Department of Education (DepEd) hereby issues this Addendum to DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2016 (Hiring Guidelines for Senior High School [SHS] Teaching Positions) to supplement and clarify provisions of the said Order.

   
   

2. Pursuant to Republic Act 10533, Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular (CSC MC) No. 03, s. 2001 (Revised Policies on Merit Promotion Plan), DepEd Order (DO) No. 29, s. 2002 (Merit Selection Plan of the Department of Education), and other relevant issuances, the following provisions of the said Order are hereby reiterated, modified and/or deleted, as follows:

   
   

A. Legal Basis

As provided in RA 10533 as well as its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), DO No. 43, s. 2015, the DepEd shall hire, as may be relevant to the particular subject:

(a) Graduates of science, mathematics, statistics, engineering, music and other degree courses with shortages in qualified Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) applicants to teach in their specialized subjects in the elementary and secondary education. Qualified LET applicants shall also include graduates admitted by foundations duly recognized for their expertise in the education sector and who satisfactorily complete the requirements set by these organizations: Provided, that they pass the LET within five (5) years after their date of hiring: Provided, further, that if such graduates are willing to teach on part-time basis, the provisions of LET shall no longer be required;

(b) Graduates of technical-vocational courses to teach in their specialized subjects in the secondary education: Provided, that these graduates possess the necessary certification issued by TESDA: Provided, further, that they undergo appropriate in-service training to be administered by the DepEd or higher education institutions at the expense of the DepEd;

(c) Faculty of HEIs be allowed to teach in their general education or subject specialties in the secondary education: Provided, that the faculty must be a holder of a relevant Bachelor’s degree, and must have satisfactorily served as a full-time HEI faculty; and

(d) The DepEd and private education institutions may hire practitioners, with expertise in the specialized learning areas offered by the Basic Education Curriculum, to teach in the secondary level: Provided, that they teach on part-time basis only.

B. Definition of Terms

The following terms and definitions are added to Item III (Definition of Terms) of DO 7, s. 2016:

Track refers to the specific program in SHS a learner may choose based on his/her interests and aspirations. SHS has four (4) tracks, namely: Academic, Technical-Vocational Livelihood, Arts and Design, and Sports. A track is further classified into strands.

Strand refers to the specialized curricular offerings under a particular track.

Industry is the aggregate of manufacturing, business and commercial activities and productive enterprises in a particular field, often named after its principal product (e.g. the agriculture industry, the food industry). Applied and specialized SHS subjects relate to specific industries.

C. Basic Policies

It is reminded that the following rules and regulations must be strictly observed:

I. Consideration for promotion of qualified employees with pending administrative case shall be pursuant to Section 42, Rule 8 of CSC Resolution No. 1101502 dated November 8, 2011;

II. Promotion within six (6) months prior to compulsory retirement shall not be allowed except as otherwise provided by law;

III. All qualified next-in-rank employees in the organizational unit where the vacancy exists shall be automatically considered candidates for promotion to the next higher position; and

IV. Performance Rating

a. For appointment by promotion, the performance rating of the appointee for the last three (3) rating periods prior to the effectivity date of the appointment should be at least Very Satisfactory; and

b. For appointment by transfer, the performance rating for the last three (3) rating periods immediately preceding the transfer from the former office should be at least Very Satisfactory.

D. Announcement of Vacancies

The last two (2) sentences of Item IV.3 of DO 3, s. 2016 shall be deleted and replaced with the following:

The publication of a particular vacant position shall be valid until filled but not to extend beyond six (6) months reckoned from the date the position was published.

In the issuance of appointments, the requirement for publication is deemed complied with if the process of application and screening started within six (6) months from publication and if the vacancy is filled not later than nine (9) months from date of publication.

Should no appointment be issued within the nine (9)-month period, the agency has to cause the republication of the said vacant position.

E. Evaluation and Selection Committees

The following provisions are added to Item VI (Evaluation and Selection Committees) of DO 3, s. 2016:

I. Composition of the Personnel Selection Board (PSB)

In the evaluation of SHS teacher-applicants who are already with the DepEd, the PSB per DO 66, s. 2007 is hereby expanded to include either:

a. An authorized representative of a duly-accredited or -recognized organization/industry proficient and knowledgeable in the track/learning area needed in the evaluation of Academic track/core subjects applicants; or

b. An Education Program Supervisor/Specialist for the subject area needed in the evaluation of TVL, Arts & Design, and Sports tracks applicants.

II. Functions and Responsibilities

a. The SDO shall prepare a “Disclosure of No Relationship Form,” which PSB and Division Selection Committee (DSC) members shall accomplish. In the event that a PSB or DSC member is related to an applicant by consanguinity or affinity, he/she shall inhibit himself/herself from the evaluation and deliberation of the particular applicant’s qualifications;

b. Only quorum (50%+1) of the DSC is required to proceed with the evaluation and deliberation process; and

c. The PSB shall evaluate and deliberate en banc.

F. English Proficiency Test (EPT)

In reference to Item VII.6 (English Communication Skills), it is clarified that those who have taken the English Proficiency Test in 2014 or later may opt not to retake the test. The Division Testing Coordinator shall request from the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) the official scores of applicants who declared that they have taken the EPT in 2014 or later.

G. Contractual Appointments

It is clarified that contractual appointments are governed by Civil Service Law and policies (Sec. 2(e), Rule III of CSC Memorandum Circular No. 40, s. 1998, as amended).

H. Certification for the Appointment of Non-LET Passers

In cases where the appointment of a qualified non-LET passer is to be submitted to the CSC, the Schools Division Superintendent shall personally certify that:

I. Qualified LET passers from the division’s Registry of Qualified Applicants (RQA) per DO 3, s. 2016 have been exhausted; and that the appointee(s) is/are qualified per DO 3, s. 2016;

II. Efforts to recruit, screen, and select appropriate candidates have been fully exerted; and

III. There are highly meritorious and justifiable reasons cited to support such appointment.

The certification shall be submitted to CSC in support of pertinent appointment documents. Enclosed is a template for the said certification.

I. Protest Procedures

Pursuant to Item 2 of CSC MC No. 4, s. 2010 dated February 8, 2010, a protest on appointment shall no longer be acted upon through the grievance machinery. The same shall be initially appealed to the appointing authority who issued the appointment, then to the Civil Service Commission Regional Office, and then to the Civil Service Commission Proper. Hence, Part XIII (“Grievance and Protest Procedures”) shall be modified as such, with the term “Grievance” deleted.

J. Effectivity

The following statements are added to Item XIV (Effectivity) of DO 3, s. 2016:

The Hiring Guidelines for SHS teaching positions effective SY 2016-2017 enclosed in DO 3, s. 2016 and this addendum thereto shall take effect immediately after approval of the CSC Regional Office.

All other subsequent amendments to said hiring guidelines shall be submitted to the CSC Regional Office, for approval.

K. Commitment

The DepEd commits to implement and abide by the provisions of the Hiring Guidelines for SHS Teaching Positions Effective SY 2016-2017 enclosed in DO 3, s. 2016 and this addendum thereto.

It is understood that said Hiring Guidelines and this addendum thereto shall be the basis of expeditious action on appointments.

A portion for the approval/signature of the CSC Regional Director should also be provided therein.

3. All other Orders, Memoranda, and other related issuances inconsistent with this Order are deemed modified accordingly effective immediately.

   
   

4. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

   
   

BR. ARMIN A. LUISTRO FSC
Secretary

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