The Department of Education has approved 5,335 teacher reclassification applications processed under previous guidelines as part of its transition to the Expanded Career Progression system.

The approved applications were processed under earlier mechanisms, including the Equivalents Record Form, MEC Order No. 10, s. 1979, and DepEd Order No. 97, s. 2011. DepEd said clearing these applications is part of its effort to fully implement the ECP system.

“This is more than achieving numbers. This is about our sustained efforts to ensure our educators receive the recognition they truly deserve. Following President Bongbong Marcos’ directive, we are accelerating the ECP system to make sure no public school teacher ever retires at the entry-level rank of Teacher I,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

The Expanded Career Progression system aims to provide clearer and faster promotion pathways for public school teachers, allowing them to move up in rank without necessarily shifting to administrative roles.

At the same time, DepEd is pushing reforms in school leadership. The agency is awaiting the Department of Budget and Management’s final review and approval of 914 on-stream candidates for reclassification to school principal positions.

The candidates include head teachers, assistant school principals and teachers-in-charge who are set to move into principal posts once approved.

DepEd said it secured a record P6.1 billion allocation for fiscal year 2026 to support the expanded implementation of the career progression system.

The department is targeting the promotion of more than 100,000 public school teachers this year as part of the broader reform.

Officials said the continued rollout of the ECP system is aligned with efforts to professionalize the teaching workforce and improve morale, retention and leadership development within the public school system.