DEPED COMPLEX, Pasig City — The Department of Education (DepEd) is setting up a plan for the decentralization of the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH) while maintaining a uniform standard across all divisions and regions to improve accessibility for aspiring school leaders.

At the same time, DepEd is likewise in the exploratory stage of offering NQESH at more frequent intervals and expanding targeted training programs under the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) to support teachers aspiring for principalship.

Prior to the said plans, however, DepEd announced that it pushing for a 'one principal-one school' policy amidst a Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) report showing that over 24,000 public schools lack school heads.

In a statement, education secretary Juan Edgardo 'Sonny' Angara disclosed that they are likewise assessing the distribution of qualified principals nationwide.

“Gagawa tayo at mag-dedeploy ng School Principal items sa mga paaralan na wala nito,” Angara pointed out.
“Sa kasalukuyang patakaran natin, hindi automatic na 1 school head per 1 school. Babaguhin natin ito. Basta may school, may principal dapat,” he added.

Based on a recent EDCOM II report, a total of 24,916 public schools in the country has no sitting principals.
In response, Angara said that the DepEd is planning to prioritize the promotion and reclassification of qualified Head Teachers and Teachers-in-Charge into formal principal position to address the shortage of school heads.

The education department will also assess regions with an oversupply of qualified principal applicants and develop strategies to fairly re-deploy them to areas that do not have school heads.

“Kailangan din natin makita ang overall distribution. Saan may regions na may oversupply ng qualified principals? Paano ma-i-distribute ito while being fair to the principal applicant?,” Angara noted.