The creation of 4,000 new teaching positions under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) School Personnel Program for 2025 has been approved, boosting the government’s efforts to improve the learning environment in public schools.

Of the new slots, 1,658 are allotted for kindergarten and elementary levels, 391 for junior high school, and 1,951 for senior high school for school year 2025–2026.

The move follows an earlier approval of 16,000 teaching slots and an additional 10,000 non-teaching positions aimed at easing the administrative workload of educators.

Education officials said the expansion addresses the need for more personnel amid rising enrollment, with 27.6 million students registered in public elementary schools this school year — an increase of 300,000 from the previous year.

Around P4.194 billion has been allocated to support the hiring of new personnel.

Officials said the initiative aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal to improve student learning conditions through better-staffed and more supportive classrooms.