vSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

RECEIVED
{ DATE
Republic of the Philippines j TIME
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | BY:

Metro Manila

Quezon City,

REGISTRATION UNIT
BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1057

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE MAGNOLIA ROSA C, ANTO!

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

Republic Act No. 10157 otherwise known as the Kindergarten Education Act of
2012 provides for the institutionalization of kindergarten education as part of the basic
education in the Philippine Educational System.

The government recognized that Kindergarten is vital to the academic and
technical development of the Filipino child for it is the period when the young mind’s
absorptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest.

Kindergarten teachers therefore play a vital role in the mental, psychological,
spiritual and emotional development of the kindergarten pupils. In order to assure quality
kindergarten education, kinder teachers must be assured of stable working condition,
rights and attractive benefits and career prospects in order to motivate them to achieve
high teaching standards for the benefit of the kinder pupils. Under this bill, once enacted
into law, volunteer kinder teachers, who have rendered at least two (2) years of
continuous service shall be extended provisional status, if they so desire, including those
whose services had been terminated for lack of funds or for any reason whatsoever except
for cause. Volunteer kinder teachers, without LET (Licensure Examination for Teachers),
who have rendered service for a period of ten (10) years, shall be given permanent
teaching positions.

It is the paramount objective of this bill, the Magna Carta for Kindergarten
Teachers, to cloth kindergarten teachers, including volunteer teachers, with a mantle of
protection by giving them security of tenure, to provide them with a conducive working
atmosphere, where rights are amply protected and with rewarding benefits to be duly
received by kinder teachers to discourage them from staging any protest that may disrupt
the educational program to the detriment of the kinder pupils.

In view of the foregoing reasons, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought

Th |
MAGNOLIA ROSA CG: ANTONINO
Representative
Fourth District, Nueva Ecija


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

1057

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE MAGNOLIA ROSA C. ANTONINO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A MAGNA CARTA FOR KIND

ERGARTEN TEACHERS,

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta for
Kindergarten Teachers.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared a policy of the State to
promote and improve the social and economic status of all kindergarten teachers
Towards this end, the State shall ensure stable working condition, promote security of
tenure and career prospects in order to obtain a conducive working atmosphere that shall
motivate them to achieve high teaching standards for the benefit of kindergarten pupils

SEC. 3. Coverage. — All persons engaged in providing kindergarten education as
Part of the basic education in public schools, including the government-run day-care
centers.

SEC. 4. Qualifications. ~ A kindergarten teacher-applicant must be a graduate of
Bachelor's degree in Education, preferably in Early Childhood Education or its
equivalent with a major and a minor: Provided, however, That in the absence of
applicants who possess the minimum educational qualifications as hereinabove provided,
the school superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd) may appoint, under a
temporary status, applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications: Provided,
further, That should kinder teacher-applicants, whether they possess the minimum
educational qualifications or not, be required to take the competitive examinations

SEC. 5. Probationary Period. ~ No probationary period preceding regular
appointment shall be imposed if the kinder teacher possesses the appropriate eligibility
especially when recruitment takes place after adequate training and_ professional
preparation in any school recognized by the government: Provided, however, That,
where, due to the exigencies of the service, it is necessary to employ as kinder teacher a
Person who possesses the minimum educational qualifications herein above set forth but
lacks the appropriate civil service eligibility, such person shall be appointed on a
Provisional status and shall undergo a period of probation for not less than one year from
and after the date of his provisional appointment


SEC. 6. Security of Tenure. ~ Security of tenure shall be assured the kinder
teachers under existing laws

Subject to the provisions of Section 4 hereof, kinder teachers appointed on a
provisional status, including volunteer kinder teachers, for lack of civil service eligibility
shall be extended permanent appointment for the position he is holding after having
rendered at least ten (10) years of continuous service in such position: Provided,
however, That volunteer kinder teachers, who have rendered at least two (2) years of
continuous service shall be extended provisional status, if they so desire, including those
whose services had been terminated for lack of funds or for any reason whatsoever except
for cause before the effectivity of this Act

SEC. 7. Consent for Transfer. — No kinder teacher shall be transferred without
his or her consent

Sec. 8. Code of Professional Conduct, Safeguards in Disciplinary and
Administrative Procedure. — Kinder teachers shall be governed by the Code of
Professional Conduct, Safeguards in Disciplinary and Administrative Procedure for
teachers under existing laws.

SEC. 9. Teaching Hours. — Any kinder teacher engaged in actual classroom
instruction shall not be required to render more than eight (8) hours of actual classroom
teaching a day: Provided, however, That where the exigencies of the service so require,
any kinder teacher may be required to render more than eight (8) hours of actual
classroom teaching a day upon payment of additional compensation under existing laws

SEC. 10. Benefits. ~ Kinder teachers shall be entitled to all the benefits and
privileges, including health measures, injury benefits, leave and retirement benefits,
anted to teachers under existing laws.

SEC. 11. Rules and Regulations. — The DepEd shall formulate the necessary

rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act

SEC. 12. Appropriations. ~ The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be
charged against budget of the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year following
its enactment into law and thereafter

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby amended,
repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 14, Effectivitye. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,