The Department of Education (DepEd) has boosted career advancement opportunities for public school teachers after approving 5,335 reclassification applications processed under previous guidelines during the transition to the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) system.

The move clears applications filed under earlier mechanisms such as the Equivalents Record Form, MEC Order No. 10, s. 1979, and DepEd Order No. 97, s. 2011, as the department shifts to the full implementation of the ECP framework.

“This is more than achieving numbers. This is about making sure our educators get the recognition they truly deserve,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said. He added that, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive, DepEd is accelerating reforms so that no public school teacher retires at the entry-level rank of Teacher I.

At the same time, DepEd is pushing school leadership reforms. The agency is awaiting final review and approval from the Department of Budget and Management for 914 on-stream candidates — including head teachers, assistant principals and teachers-in-charge — who are up for reclassification to school principal positions.

Backed by a record P6.1-billion allocation for fiscal year 2026, DepEd aims to promote more than 100,000 public school teachers this year as it ramps up the ECP rollout.