FEW ARE CHOSEN

JOJOKYLE L. CARENCIA

Principalship seems to be the target of teachers who are aiming for higher positions. Others say it is to give better service not only for the learners but also for the teachers as well as the entire community. This top position of the school gives a person the power to have a greater control of what will happen in a learning institution. Yet, dreaming to have this position is not enough to have it. One must take the National Qualification Examination for School Heads.

NQESH is known as the principal’s exam. The result of this test serves as the passport for a principal item before the comprehensive ranking being done to determine the most qualified applicant to be the school head. It serves as a mechanism for selecting school heads in the public education sector. As known, principal’s exam is divided into seven domains, which mostly focus on the functions of a school head. Yet, not everyone can take the exam. Requirements must be met first before an aspirant can take the examination. This requirement is set by the DepEd which is administered and conducted by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) in coordination with the Schools Divisions Offices (DOs) through the Regional Offices (ROs). NEAP aims to respond to the demand for professional competence including leadership and management excellence in the field of education.

For the past years, various organizations offered trainings, coaching, mentoring, and even review sessions to help the aspirants nail the so called one of the most difficult exam of the professionals. However, there is still no guarantee that when one undergoes these steps or processes, he or she will pass the test because there are only who can really provide a comprehensive assistance for this test.

Statistically, not even half of the examiners were able to be part of those who nailed the tough exam. This alone proves that test is not something that you can just take without preparation that is why most of the aspirants decide to have rigorous preparations and many sleepless nights before they even have the fight of their teaching profession. The tedious onset preparation will serve as the backbone of the aspirants to enter the next dimension of selection process for principal.

Despite the big number of those who aims to be a school head, many are called but few are chosen.

— oOo—

The author is Head Teacher III at Sta. Maria High School Sta. Maria, Macabebe, Pampanga