The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has raised concern over the alarming shortage of school principals in the country, with research showing that half of public schools in the Philippines operate without a principal.

In a radio interview with DZBB on Sunday, EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Mark Yee revealed that consultations and research conducted by the commission revealed that many schools either have head teachers, teachers-in-charge, or officer-in-charge (OICs), but not designated principals due to policy restrictions.

“Our research and consultations revealed that half of our schools have no principal,” said Yee in a mix of Filipino and English, citing the 1997 policy on school staffing standards, which stipulates that schools with less than nine teachers do not qualify for a principal position. According to him, this policy needs to be reviewed and updated to match the current educational landscape.

Yee also pointed out the flaws in the existing principal qualifying examination, which has contributed to the low number of appointed school heads.

“In previous years, there were times when the passing rate was 3 percent out of 6,000 applicants, sometimes 30 percent... What indicators do we need to determine if an applicant will truly perform and has the characteristics of a leader?” he explained.