NON-EDUCATION GRADUATE EDUCATOR

A teacher’s career requires more than simply standing in front of a classroom and facilitating. Even though a teacher spends the majority of the day in the classroom, the actual teaching component is only part of the job. An effective teacher must possess a broad understanding and higher level of expertise on the subject area and the desire to share knowledge with the learners to ensure that they receive quality education. The more acceptable people to stand in front of the learner and facilitate learnings are professionals that have a degree in education. In different colleges or universities, professor’s handling major subjects are the experts on a certain field. Teaching on government laws are lawyers, fiscals or judges, teaching about medicines are doctors, teaching in the field of engineering are engineers, teaching in the field of accountancy are accountants the same applies to other courses. Even though. A teacher who is an education graduate is more familiar with the different pedagogies as compared to the non-education graduate. A person who is not an education major can still teach provided that you have the passion and willingness to impart knowledge as well as skills. An educator should also be knowledgeable on the different methods of teaching in facilitating the actual classroom discussion to ensure that sustainability of the student’s attention.

Educational institutions in the whole world are aiming to produce graduates who are globally competitive. The ASEAN Integration of 2015 ushered global competitiveness among ASEAN nations. As an implication, educational programs from basic to tertiary levels were revisited as a national initiative to ensures global conformance. This will pave the way for the on-standard operations of schools within the domain of the standards set by the ASEAN nations. From ten-year basic education, it is now offering additional two years senior high school, because of its implementation it resulted to a massive need for teachers.

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. The 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 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.

The implementation of K-12 curriculum or the Enhance Basic Education with of the hope of the government that students will be better equipped for employment and further study. A huge number of teachers were hired even though they have insufficient qualifications. The newly hired non-education graduates that are currently teaching in senior high school suffice the needs of the learners because they have the qualifications and skills. Now, the Department of Education is facing challenges to exert an extra effort to equip their newly hired non-education graduate teachers to continuously contribute to the government’s goal in producing holistically developed and globally competitive graduates. Can the non-education graduates handle the challenges and responsibilities of 21st century educators.

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The author is Teacher II at San Vicente-San Francisco High School, Macabebe, Pampanga