FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1675

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B, Rodriguez, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The promotion of quality education in the country is a priority concern
Which found its rightful place in the statement of policies enshrined in our
Constitution.

In line with such noble objective, it is the purpose of this bill to establish
a National Accrediting Agency for Teacher Education Institutions (NAATE!),
which shall be tasked, among others, with redesigning pre-service and in-
service teacher education to address specific problems and issues on basic
education, upgrade the level of teaching competencies, institute policy
reforms, develop critical skills needed specially by science and mathematics
teachers, and encourage their professional growth and advancement.

In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Yip

RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ

Wn

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

_1678

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCY FOR TEACHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (NAATEI)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the "National
Accrediting Agency for Teacher Education Institutions Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall give priority to
research and development, invention, innovation and their utilization, and to
science and technology education, training and services; enhance the right of
budgetary priority to education to ensure that teaching will attract and retain
its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration
and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment. (1987 Constitution, Article
XIV, Sec. 5, Subsec. 485)

‘As such, the government shall support the continuous training and
retooling of all teachers especially science and mathematics teachers and
provide requirements necessary for upgrading of their competencies.

SEC. 3, Objectives. - In pursuance of the foregoing policies, this Act
aims to achieve the following objectives:

(a) to redesign pre-service and in-service teacher and education,
address specific problems/issues on basic education vis-a-vis
emerging education technologies and different contexts of learning in
multi-cultural settings;

(b) to upgrade the level of teaching competency through continuous
teacher training and retraining programs for public and private
elementary and secondary schools;


(©) to identify policy reforms and interventions in upgrading teaching
competencies and develop critical skills needed by teachers specially
science and mathematics teachers;

(d) to establish a credible system for accreditation of teacher education
institutions;

(e) to assist in the monitoring and evaluation of TRIs;
(f) to equalize access to training opportunities;

(g) to encourage professional growth and advancement for teachers
through the provision of incentives and rewards or teacher's excellence
and performance; and

(h) to raise the level of students performance of the country in regional
and international assessment tests.

SEC. 4. Pre-Service and In-Service Training Programs for Basic
Education Teachers. - The Pre-Service Training for Science and Technology
Basic Education Teachers shall be strengthened, to raise the level of teacher
competency in teaching major subjects particularly science and mathematics
comparable to regional and international bench marks, and ensure that
teacher graduates are globally competitive.

Technical and other forms of assistance shall be provided by
appropriate government agencies such as the Science Education Institute of
the Department of Science and Technology (SEI-DOST) through the Regional
Science Teaching Centers (RSTCs).

SEC. 5. National Accreditation Agency for Teacher Education
Institutions. - There shall be established a National Accreditation Agency for
Teacher Education Institutions (NAATE!) which shall be responsible for the
accreditation of TEls. The agency shall design accreditation programs for TEls
and shall cause the publication of the accredited TEls on a yearly basis.

TEls offering or conducting teacher education programs shall be
regularly assessed and evaluated based on a system to be established under
the implementing rules of this Act to ensure quality of teacher education and

training programs as well as equalize access to training opportunities for
teachers.

SEC. 6. Governance and Administration. - The NAATEI shall be
separate and autonomous and attached to the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) for administrative purposes only. It shall be headed by an
Executive Director appointed by the President and shall be conferred the rank
of a Bureau Director with a fixed term of four (4) years renewable for another
term. He/she shall be assisted by a Deputy Executive Director and an
adequate number of personnel for the effective implementation of the
agency's programs, functions and activities.


SEC. 7. Creation of Appropriate Positions. - The CHED, in
coordination with the DBM and the Civil Service Commission shall create
appropriate positions and the corresponding budgetary requirements for such
positions for the effective implementation of the programs created under this
Act.

SEC. 8. Funding of the Program. - The amount of Twenty-Five Million
Pesos (P25,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the initial implementation of
the programs. Thereafter, the requirements of the programs shall be provided
annually

In addition to the funds to be appropriated by Congress, the program
established under this Act shall receive annual additional funding support from
the following:

(a) One percent (1%) share from net income of the Philippine Games
and Amusement Corporation (PAGCOR); and

(b) One percent (1%) share from the net income on LOTTO Draws of
the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

SEC. 9. Collaboration and Networking with Centers of Excellence
and other Institutions for Teacher Education. - The NAATEI shall
encourage and support collaborative activities and networking: with the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), SEI-DOST, Centers of
Excellence for Teacher Education, professional teachers associations, and
‘such other related institutions. It shall also tap qualified accreditors from duly
recognized accrediting agencies such as the Federation of Accrediting
Associations of the Philippines (FAAP), the Philippine Accrediting Association
of State Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), etc.

‘SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - The CHED,
in collaboration with DECS and DOST shall formulate the IRR of this Act.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - Should any part or provision of this
Act be deemed unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act not
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders,
issuances, rules or regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers
of general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved.