The government has approved more than 32,000 new teaching positions for the upcoming school year in a move aimed at easing classroom congestion, reducing teacher workload, and strengthening public education nationwide.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) authorized 32,916 new teaching items for School Year 2026–2027 following a request from the Department of Education.
The new positions will cover Kindergarten, Elementary, Junior High School, Senior High School, and Alternative Learning System programs.
According to DepEd, the expansion is intended to address teacher shortages and lower the learner-to-teacher ratio in public schools as part of broader efforts to improve classroom instruction and education quality.
“Through the strong support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the DBM under Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo, our request for these critical items has been granted, fundamentally expanding our teaching force so that our educators can focus on what they do best—nurturing the minds of our learners,” Angara said.
“This is a critical step in giving our schools the structural support they need to deliver quality education,” he added.
Of the newly approved positions, 32,047 are Teacher I items, while 369 Teacher III positions will serve as Special Science Teacher I posts.
Another 500 Teacher IV positions were allocated for Special Needs Education programs to strengthen support for learners requiring specialized instruction.
Among the regions, the Zamboanga Peninsula received the largest allocation with 3,361 teaching items, including 1,467 Teacher I positions specifically assigned to Sulu to address instructional gaps in the province.
Other areas receiving major allocations include Central Luzon with 2,722 items, Calabarzon with 2,644, Central Visayas with 2,586, and Northern Mindanao with 2,541.
Under existing guidelines, DBM regional offices will issue notices covering staffing and compensation actions for elementary, senior high school, and Alternative Learning System positions, while notices for junior high school items will be released directly to implementing units.
Alongside the hiring expansion, DepEd said it continues to implement the Expanded Career Progression System under Executive Order No. 174, which provides teachers and school leaders with clearer promotion pathways and opportunities for professional advancement.
Angara said the framework is designed to address career stagnation by allowing teachers to move up in rank and salary while remaining in classroom teaching positions instead of shifting to administrative roles or seeking work abroad.