Malacañang on Monday said the creation of 16,000 new teaching positions for the upcoming school year is part of the administration’s thrust to improve the education system.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the move is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to reduce the shortage of teachers and improve learning conditions.

“Ang gusto po talaga ng Pangulo ay mabawasan ang kakulangan ng mga guro sa bawat eskwela. Ito lamang po ay unang parte, 16,000 teaching positions ay unang parte lamang po, dahil ang target ay 20,000 teaching positions po (The President truly wants to reduce the shortage of teachers in every school. This 16,000 is just the first part, as the target is 20,000 teaching positions),” Castro said in a press briefing at the Palace.

She emphasized that the initiative aims to ensure each student receives proper attention from their teachers to improve learning outcomes.

“Ang nais po natin at ang nais po ng Pangulo ay mabigyan po ang bawat estudyante, matutukan po ng kanilang guro para po mas maging maganda ang kanilang pagsasanay at pag-aaral (What we and the President want is for every student to be given attention by their teacher so that their training and education will be better),” she said.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced it has approved the creation of the new teaching positions in public schools for Academic Year 2025–2026.

The approved new positions include 15,343 Teacher I posts (Salary Grade 11); 157 Special Science Teachers (Salary Grade 13); and 500 Special Education teachers (Salary Grade 14).

The PHP4.194 billion needed to fund the new positions will come from DepEd’s built-in appropriations under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, specifically earmarked for hiring new school personnel, according to the DBM. (PNA)