2. In order to standardize the evaluation and the selection of kindergarten teacher-applicants, the following educational qualifications in addition to the guidelines pursuant to DepEd Order No. 12, s. 2012 as stated in Paragraph Nos.: 5.3, 5.3.1 to 5.3.8 are set forth to be strictly adhered to by the Division Selection Committee.
2.1. Selection of kindergarten teachers shall adapt the same equivalent ratings in the abovementioned paragraphs and sections of the said DepEd Order.
2.1.a. Educational Qualification The kindergarten teacher-applicants must have obtained any of the following degrees:
- Bachelor in Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Science in Preschool Education
- Bachelor of Science in Family Life and Child Development
- Bachelor in Elementary Education with specialization in Preschool or Early Childhood Education (ECE)
- Bachelor in Elementary Education major in Teaching Early Grades
He/She must have obtained equivalent degrees such as:
- Bachelor in Elementary Education, major in Special Education with 18 units in ECE
- Bachelor of Secondary Education with additional Diploma in ECE including Practice Teaching in Kindergarten Education
- Other related courses with at least 18 units in ECE/Child Development including that in Day Care Centers.
2.1.b. Teaching experience in kindergarten/preschool both in public and recognized private schools shall be considered and shall follow specific criteria specifically indicated in Section 5.3.2 of DepEd Order 12, s. 2012.2.1.c. Eligibility (refer to section 5.3.3)
- He/She must be a holder of LET/PBET licensure.
2.1.d. Additional Requirement2.2. Deployment of Kindergarten Teachers
- He/She must not be more than 45 years old.
2.2.a. The Teacher I plantilla positions for kindergarten teachers shall be deployed in public elementary schools where there are existing kindergarten classes with a large population of five-year old children. The equitable distribution of these items, shall be based on Paragraph No. 2.1.c of DepEd Order No. 77, s. 2010 entitled Guidelines on the Allocation/Deployment of New Teaching-Related and Teaching Positions for FY 2012.2.2.b. The teacher to be deployed must be in the list of the Division's Registry of Qualified Applicants (RQAs in Section 6.0-7.0).2.2.c. A kindergarten teacher shall handle two (2) classes per day one (1) in the morning and another one (1) in the afternoon. Each class shall have at least twenty five (25) children who are five years old for a period of at least three (3) hours per session. The ratio per session is 25:1. Thus, the kindergarten pupil-teacher ratio for two (2) sessions is 50:1.2.2.d. In a school where there is only one (1) kindergarten class,teacher shall handle another class in a nearby school.2.2.e. As part of the basic education system, kindergarten teacher shall be entitled to receive the same benefits and other continuing professional development as indicated in Rule V, Section 11 of the IRR of DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2012.
3. Contingency Measures
As provided in Rule VII of Section 16.3 of the IRR and as part of the transitory provisions of the IRR, excess regular teacher/s in any of the grade levels, may be assigned as full-time kindergarten teacher/s and will be provided with kindergarten training. Said teacher/s may be recommended for an institution-based training coordinated by the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE) or any scholarship training initiated by the division offices (DOs) or local government units (LGUs) as long as he/she meets the required criteria.
In cases where there are limited eligible teachers with ECE units, the following measures may be adopted for those eligible teachers without ECE units:
- Upon appointment, the teacher shall be required by the DO to earn ECE units gradually;
- Nine (9) ECE units may be earned at the end of Year 1; 18 units, Year 2; and 21 units, Year 3; and
- In an instance that there is a shortage of teacher handling classes in any grade level, the school head may assign the kindergarten teacher to handle any grade level provided that it will not affect the prescribed contact time for kindergarten classes.
4. It is requested that all regions shall monitor in compliance with these guidelines, Profile of the newly hired kindergarten teachers with picture be submitted to the Research and Statistics Division-Office of the Planning Service (RSD-OPS), DepEd Central Office (CO), copy furnished the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE).
5. These guidelines shall remain in force and in effect during the succeeding years until revised or repealed.
