Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _____
___________________________________________________________
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE BERNADETTE HERRERA
___________________________________________________________
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE TEACHER EDUCATION FOR ACHIEVERS PROGRAM TO
IMPROVE
THE
QUALITY
OF
TEACHERS
IN
THE
PHILIPPINES,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines is suffering under a learning crisis, and this bill, as
counterpart to the one filed by Senator Sonny Angara in the Senate, seeks
to immediately address the causes of this learning crisis.
A 2020 report by the Asian Development Bank indicated that millions of children are
attending school without achieving even basic learning outcomes. This highlights the
need to adjust teaching practices as a key determinant of student learning.
Unfortunately, the Philippines has performed poorly in a number of rankings
assessing students from the country and comparing them to those across the globe.
The dismal rankings of the Philippines in the Programme for International Student
Assessment (PISA) in 2018, Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) and
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) both in 2019,
revealed a learning crisis in the country despite numerous reforms in our education
system. The results could be attributed to several factors including individual and
household factors; school inputs such as curriculum, learning environment and
September 8, 2022
9:46 am
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community
support,
and
more
importantly,
the
quality
of teachers and the
competence to teach our learners.
To address the learning crisis and respond to the call of examining the effectiveness
of teacher certification system as well as the quality of graduate education for
teachers, this bill seeks to establish the Teacher Education for Achievers (TEACH)
program by providing incentives to scholars in order to attract the brightest
candidates to get their training from the best tertiary education institutions in the
country. Incentives include full tuition and other fees, living expenses, book
allowance, relocation allowance, medical insurance, and licensure review support,
among others.
In addition, the bill provides that TEACH scholars will be mentored by highly
competent faculty and professionals. To allay fears of not getting a job after
graduation, the bill ensures that scholars have a guaranteed teaching position in our
public school system.
Hence, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
BERNADETTE “BH” HERRERA
2


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _____
___________________________________________________________
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE BERNADETTE HERRERA
___________________________________________________________
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE TEACHER EDUCATION FOR ACHIEVERS PROGRAM TO
IMPROVE
THE
QUALITY
OF
TEACHERS
IN
THE
PHILIPPINES,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Teacher
Education for Achievers (TEACH) Act of 2022.”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the invaluable role of
teachers as agents of constructive social, economic, moral, intellectual, cultural and
political change in school and the community, within the context of national policies.
To this end, the State promotes and uplifts the image of teaching professionals as a
source of national pride. It is likewise declared that in order to protect and promote
the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, the State shall prioritize
accessible and quality teacher education, learning and development, and placement
and professionalization of teaching professionals.
To implement this, the State shall provide scholarships to qualified applicants
to enable them to pursue education and training in the areas of learning and
education and to provide incentives for them to be teachers in the public primary
and secondary school system, including Technical-Vocational Education and Training
1
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(TVET), Senior High School (SHS), Special Education (SPED), wherever public
interest may require.
CHAPTER II
ESTABLISHING THE TEACHER EDUCATION FOR ACHIEVERS PROGRAM
SEC. 3. Establishment of the Teacher Education for Achievers
Program. – The Teacher Education for Achievers (TEACH) Program, which shall
provide quality pre-service teacher education, is hereby established. It shall ensure
that future teachers are classroom-ready and contributors to improve learning
outcomes by providing the best training, full financial and psychosocial support, and
employment assistance to qualified grantees.
SEC. 4. Approved Courses and Priority Programs. – Grantees shall pursue
degrees in teacher education in the partner Teacher Education Institution (TEI), as
identified and approved by the Department of Education (DepEd) as priority
education degrees. For its initial implementation, the TEACH Program shall offer two
tracks: (1) Certificate in Teaching Program (CTP) track – for those who are
graduates of any bachelor’s degree except in Education; and (2) Undergraduate
Level track – for incoming third year college students. Grantees may pursue the
completion of the appropriate degree from any of the following:
(a) Bachelor of Early Childhood Education;
(b) Bachelor of Special Education;
(c) Bachelor of Elementary Education;
(d) Bachelor of Secondary Education (major in any of the following: English,
Biology, Chemistry, General Science, Mathematics, or Physics);
(e) Bachelor of Science in Chemistry for Teachers;
(f) Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Teachers;
(g) Bachelor of Science in Physics for Teachers;
(h) Bachelor of Science in Biology for Teachers;
(i) Certificate in Teaching Program or its equivalent; and
(j) Similar degrees, as may be approved by the DepEd.
SEC. 5. Qualifications. – The minimum qualifications that the applicants must
possess to apply for the TEACH Program are:
2


(a) Must be a Filipino citizen residing in the Philippines;
(b) Must pass the qualifying examination system, comprised of the selection
process and the aptitude test for teachers as well as the appropriate
examination and assessment by the TEI;
(c) Must have at least an 85% general weighted average or its equivalent in the
degree that he or she is currently enrolled in or graduated from;
(d) Must not have service obligations under other programs in conflict with the
TEACH Program obligations.
The DepEd shall promulgate and periodically review the qualification criteria of
applicants for the TEACH Program.
CHAPTER III
PROGRAM COMPONENTS, INCENTIVES AND RETURN OF SERVICE
SEC. 6. Key Components of the TEACH Program. – The TEACH Program
shall be designed and structured to provide holistic support for the grantees,
whether it be physical, psychosocial and academic, to help them towards their career
as future teachers. This includes the following: (1) scholarship package outlined in
Section 7 hereof, (2) the provision of continuous mentorship and training and
development to the TEACH Program grantees, based on their actual needs, (3)
teaching position upon graduation, and (4) other incentives outlined in Section 10
hereof.
The DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), through the
Teacher Education Council, shall provide screening guidelines for highly competent
faculty and professionals from the TEIs who will qualify and serve as mentors under
this Program.
SEC. 7. Scholarship Component of the TEACH Program. – TEACH Program
grantees shall be eligible to receive the following:
(a) Tuition, laboratory, miscellaneous and other related school fees,
(b) Allowance for prescribed books, supplies, equipment;
(c) Clothing or uniform allowance;
(d) Transportation allowance or allowance for dormitory or boarding house
accommodation, whichever is appropriate;
(e) Graduation and related miscellaneous fees;
3


(f) Relocation allowance, if applicable;
(g) Professional Teachers board review fees and licensure fees: Provided, that the
support shall only be limited to the first licensure examination of the scholar,
taken within five years from graduation;
(h) Annual medical and accident insurance, and related health reimbursements;
and
(i) Monthly living allowance.
DepEd shall be responsible for the proper implementation and disbursement of
the monies arising from this Section. Guidelines on proper disbursement of funds
shall be issued within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.
SEC. 8. Conditions for the Grant of Scholarship. – Scholars accepted to the
TEACH Program must execute a service contract, subject to the following:
(a) Commitment to immediately pursue his or her pre-service teacher education
program and must finish the entire program within the prescribed time frame
and subject to the retention policies of the TEI; Provided, that the scholar
may be allowed, for valid and justifiable reasons, to file for a leave of absence
for one (1) academic period;
(b) Commitment to teach full-time in the public primary and secondary education
system for a period, as provided under this Act;
(c) Commitment to repay the amounts disbursed pursuant to the terms of their
service contract, if the grantee drops out from the approved degree program
where grantee is currently enrolled in; and
(d) Commitment to all the other terms and conditions of the scholarship, as
provided under this Act and as may be prescribed in the implementing rules
and regulations.
Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the service contract will result
in the full repayment of the scholarship monies and penalties, as applicable, within
an approved period.
SEC. 9. Service Obligations. – As their Return of Service (“ROS”), the TEACH
Program grantees shall teach full-time in the public primary and secondary education
system for at least one (1) year for each year of the scholarship or a fraction thereof,
in a public school primary or secondary school, as may be approved by the DepEd;
4


Provided, that the DepEd shall not consider practicum teaching as return service
under this provision. These service obligations may be amended, subject to the
service contract, as approved by the DepEd.
SEC. 10. Incentives. – Successful TEACH Program grantees shall be entitled to
the following incentives:
(a) Scholarships in identified TEIs for the approved courses and priority programs
under Section 4 of this Act;
(b) Eligibility for immediate hiring subject to passing the Licensure Examination
for Teachers (LET) within five (5) years after their date of hiring;
(c) A teacher position in a public primary or secondary school with a starting
salary grade equivalent to Teacher III;
(d) Receipt of appropriate salaries and other benefits for services rendered under
the mandatory job placement as ROS under Section 10 (c) of this Act; and
(e) A one-time relocation allowance, should he/she be assigned in a place other
than his/her permanent residence.
(f) Continued teacher education and training through the scholarships granted
under Republic Act No. 10533 or the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013”.
CHAPTER IV
IMPLEMENTATION
SEC. 11.
Program Recruitment Plan. – The DepEd and CHED, through
the Teacher Education Council (“TEC”) created under Republic Act No. 7784, shall
develop an annual implementation plan which will include a thorough teacher
demand analysis and recruitment campaign to attract incoming undergraduate
students and program shifters to the Program.
SEC. 12. Selection of Eligible Teacher Education Institution. – TEACH
Program grantees may only complete their approved course/program under Section
4 of this Act through eligible partner TEIs. A public or private TEI may be eligible for
partnership/coverage under this Program, subject to compliance with any of the
following conditions:
(a) must have its teacher education program accredited as a Center of Excellence
level, or
(b) must have its teacher education program accredited as a FAAP Level IV, or
5


(c) must have a BLEPT passing rate of at least 75% passing rate in six of the last
ten years.
The TEI shall be subject to a service partnership contract that will outline the
terms and conditions of its coverage under this Program.
SEC. 13. Mandates of the Department of Education (DepEd). – The
DepEd shall be the lead implementing agency of the provisions of this Act. It shall
establish a TEACH Program Management Unit that shall be responsible for the
evaluation, award-giving, and monitoring and evaluation of all scholarship grants and
awardees; Provided that, administrative expenses must not exceed five percent
(5%) of the total budget per year.
DepEd shall ensure hiring of qualified graduates under this Program as
public-school teachers with the incentives outlined under Section 10 of this Act, and
coordinating the same with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department
of Budget and Management (DBM). DepEd shall provide forward estimates of
teacher needs for every specialization and level to help in mapping out the scholar
recruitment plan under Section 11. It shall coordinate with its regional offices to
ensure regional support and coordination with other offices in the implementation of
this program; Provided that, additional staff will be provided to DepEd regional
offices in support of the Program, as necessary. The DepEd, through the TEC, shall
ensure that the policies for the program are supported by relevant stakeholders and
shall ensure the continuous monitoring and evaluation, including the impact of hiring
of teaching professionals facilitated through Section 8 of Republic Act No. 10533 or
the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013” and Republic Act No. 10612 or the
Fast-Tracked S&T Scholarship Act of 2013.
SEC. 14. Mandates of the Commission on Higher Education. – CHED
shall set the standards for and validation of the qualifications of partner TEIs and
continue to monitor the eligibility of the partner TEIs, to ensure the Program’s
effective and efficient implementation. CHED shall submit the necessary information
to DepEd to help with the implementation of this Program. It shall continue to
improve and uplift the quality standards for TEIs and higher education to expand the
number of eligible TEIs for the TEACH Program.
6


CHED shall take the lead in coordinating with the Unified Student Financial
Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board under Republic Act No.
10931, to ensure complementarity and harmonization with this Act.
CHED shall
ensure that the scholarships for in-service teacher education under Section 10(f) are
made available to the Program grantees.
SEC. 15. Mandates of the Teacher Education Council. – The TEC shall
provide multi-stakeholder support for the TEACH Program in determining the policy,
monitoring and evaluation assistance. It shall spearhead the creation of a monitoring
and evaluation plan, including an impact evaluation study to be initiated in the fifth
year of the TEACH Program and every two years thereafter, including an outcome
tracking system for the scholar-graduates. From the impact evaluation study, it shall
make recommendations regarding teacher education policies, planning and teacher
education development projects.
SEC. 16. Mandates of the Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs). –
Partner TEIs shall help in the administration of the Program in their respective
schools, subject to the terms and conditions of their commitments under Section 12
of this Act. Every TEI is tasked with the rigorous selection and monitoring of the
mentors for the grantees of the TEACH Program. It shall ensure pre-service teacher
education
that
is
innovative
and
responsive,
taking
into
account
student-learning-centered
professional
teaching
of
knowledge
and
skills
for
educators who will have a strong sense of professionalism, moral character and with
strong
respect
for
diversity,
and
ethnic
cultures,
concern
for
society,
and
international vision.
CHAPTER V
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SEC. 17. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation
of this Act shall be charged against the available appropriations of the DepEd, under
the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its
continuous implementation shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations.
SEC. 18. Other Sources of Funding. – Other sources of funds such as
grants, donations, collections and other forms of assistance from public or private
7


entities, whether domestic or foreign, may be tapped and facilitated by the DepEd in
relation to the implementation of the TEACH Program.
SEC. 19. Review and Monitoring. – The DepEd, through the TEC, shall
report to the President and Congress after the first five (5) years, and every two (2)
years thereafter, on the implementation of the provisions of this Act and shall submit
recommendations for its improvement. All the TEC government agencies are also
tasked to monitor the implementation of the TEACH Program as well as the actual
hiring in public schools of the TEACH Program graduates, and to undertake such
studies and include these in their respective annual reports.
SEC. 20. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – Within sixty
(60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd through the TEC, and in
consultation with the, CHED, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority,
CSC and DBM, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.
SEC. 21. Separability Clause. – If for any section or provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, the other section or provision not so declared shall
continue to be in full force and effect.
SEC. 22.
Repealing Clause.
–
All laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act,
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 23. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following
its complete publication in the Official Gazette and in at least one (1) newspaper of
general circulation.
Approved,
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