TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONALIZATION ACT OF 1994

CARLA FAYE G. CAUGUIRAN,MAED

In every rule, there is always an exemption. This statement is a cliche. But, does this statement apply in the Professionalization of the teaching Profession? During the education week in 2010 in the article of Nilo E. Colinares, Ed. D., it was said that one of the indicators in the breakthrough of the teaching profession in the Philippines was the Professionalization of Teaching as the 42 Profession in the country. However, accompanied by this law which monitors and regulates the teaching profession are questions. Questions like, why the instructors/professors in the tertiary education can practice teaching even without license? Does the law allow it? Does the professionalization of the teaching profession only apply in the Elementary and Secondary? And the tertiary level is excluded?

If there is a law which states that one can only practice teaching if he has a license, why does such thing happen? The law makers are saying “What is the law for one must be the law for everyone else”. If that is the case, why other professionals who are not a passer of the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) can practice teaching in college? Why teachers cannot give prescription to a patient? For the simple reasons. One, he/she is a graduate of medicine. Second, he/she is not licensed to practice medicine. My point is why other professionals can teach without passing the examination for teachers? Especially, in college. Something is really wrong and needs to be corrected. There are consistencies in as far the law is concern.

The goal in professionalization of the teaching profession is to prove that teaching is in the bracket of the other professions like Medicine and Engineering which cannot be practiced unless you are licensed. This is to negate also the notion that teaching is lowly profession.

With this being said, what is written in the law must be applied to everyone who practices teaching regardless of the level where he/she teaches. Because the law does not only cover the teachers in the Pre-Elementary, Elementary, and Secondary. It covers all who practices teaching from Pre- Elem To Tertiary Education. If an accountant for example cannot practice law without passing the Bar Exams. And Engineer shouldn’t practice teaching without passing the LET for teachers. It does not matter if he teaches in college, Secondary or Elementary. The point is simple. If you teach, you must be licensed to teac h.

There should be no exemptions. And it must be consistent.

-oOoThe author is Teacher III at Tinajero National High School -Annex