IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7784

ARTICLE I
Purpose

“AN ACT STRENGTHENING TEACHER EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES BY
ESTABLISHING CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE, CREATING A TEACHER EDUCATION COUNCIL
FOR THE PURPOSE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.”

ARTICLE II
Implementing Rules & Regulations

SECTION 1.       Title. — These rules and regulations shall be known and cited as the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 7784.

SECTION 2.       Objective . — These rules and
regulations are formulated to prescribe the guidelines and procedures
for the implementation of the provisions of RA 7784 in strengthening
teacher education in the Philippines by establishing Centers of
Excellence, creating Teacher Education Council in order to facilitate
compliance and achieve its objectives.

SECTION 3.       Declaration of Policy . — It is the
declared policy of the state to protect and promote the right of all
citizens to quality education at all levels and it shall take
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. It is
likewise universally recognized that the teacher is the key to the
effectiveness of the teaching-learning process by drawing out and
nurturing the best in the learner as a human being and a worthy member
of society. Thus, this Act aims to provide and ensure quality education
by strengthening the education and training of teachers nationwide
through a national system of excellence for teacher education.   Our
vision is a teacher education system whose mission is to educate and
train teachers of unquestionable integrity and competence, and who are
committed to their continuing professional growth and obligation to help
their students grow as responsible individuals and citizens of the
Philippines and the world.

ARTICLE III
Definition of Terms

For purposes of these rules and regulations, the following definition of terms will apply:  

a.         Council refers to the Teacher Education Council created under RA 7784;

b.         Teacher Education Council refers to
the group of experts composed of eleven (11) members designated and/or
appointed in accordance with Section 5 of RA 7784;

c.         Teacher shall mean all persons
engaged in the classroom teaching of any subject, including, but not
limited to practical/vocational arts, at the elementary and secondary
levels of instruction, persons performing guidance and counselling
services, instructional supervision in all private or public educational
institutions, but shall not include school nurses, school physicians,
school dentists, school administrators, and other school administrative
support employees. Graduates of education who passed the government
examination for teachers, although not actually employed as such, are
hereby included in this definition;

d.         Teacher Education shall mean the
pre-service education, and graduate education and the in-service
education of teachers in various areas of specialization; in both public
and private institutions of basic education.   cSHIaA

e.         Excellence pertains to the
effective, efficient, and innovative delivery of relevant, functional,
and quality programs in teacher education, training, research and
community service beyond the minimum requirement needed to operate a
program as attested by their accredited status;

f.          Center of Excellence refers to a
public or private college, institute, school or agency, engaged in the
pre-service and continuing education, formal and non-formal of teachers
and teacher educators that has established and continues to maintain a
track record in teacher education (in terms of graduates and their
performance, in the government examination for teachers and their
professional achievement), research, and community service based on the
criteria specified on Section 3 of RA 7784.

g.         Teacher Education Institution refers to a recognized educational institution offering pre-service teacher education programs/courses.

ARTICLE V
Establishment of Centers of Excellence for Teacher Education

For purposes of this IRR, there shall be identified, established
and developed in strategic places in each of the regions of the country,
one or more centers of excellence for teacher education based on the
criteria listed hereunder, assessed and adjudged by the Council. These
Centers of Excellence shall be initially chosen from among existing
public and private educational institutions by the Teacher Education
Council created under this Act. When resources allow, certain centers of
excellence for teacher education at the provincial level may later be
identified and developed.

SECTION 1.       Criteria in Identifying Schools/Colleges/ Universities as Centers of Excellence in Teacher Education. —

The following criteria in identifying schools, colleges, or
universities as centers of excellence in teacher education shall be
strictly adhered to:

a.         Highly-educated, professionally qualified and
experienced faculty dedicated to the philosophy, mission, vision and
goals of the institution and of education;

b.         Adequate library, research and study facilities;

c.         Competent administrative and support staff;

d.         Well-selected students as reflected in the institution’s admission policies and standards;

e.         Well-planned and relevant instructional programs;

f.          Adequate student development program;

g.         Adequate student services;

h.         Relevant extension services and outreach programs;

i.          Average percentage of LET passers for the last 3 years.

j.          Percentages of graduates who become teachers;

k.         Such other criteria as may be established and
operationalized by the Council including but not limited to
innovativeness and other similar measures of excellence.

Institutions which qualify under the criteria set by the Council
shall be asked to submit their plans for operationalizing the intended
functions of the Center of Excellence on the basis of which the Council
will identify the Centers in the country.

SECTION 2.       Networking of the Teacher Education Centers of Excellence (TECE).
— The Council in coordination with the TECE shall form a national
network, which in turn shall network with elementary schools, high
schools in both public and private institutions and/or part thereof for
laboratory purposes.

SECTION 3.       Development and Transfer of the Centers of Excellence.
— Any institution identified as a Center of Excellence for Teacher
Education shall be assisted by the Teacher Education Council, through
appropriations from the national government or grants from other
sources, in order to fully utilize the potential impact of these
institutions in upgrading teacher education in the country. These
institutions shall be maintained by the Council for a period of at least
five (5) years before any proposal to transfer it elsewhere shall be
affected.

ARTICLE VI
Objectives and Functions of the Teacher Education Council Center of Excellence

The following shall be objectives and functions of the Teacher Education Center of Excellence:

a.         Experiment and try out relevant and innovative pre-service or in-service teacher education/training program;

b.         Organize and coordinate collaborative research on
identified areas for systematic investigation in teacher education as
basis for improving teacher education programs;

c.         Serve as teacher resource center for curricular/instructional materials development;

d.         Serve as the central node for networking specific disciplines in teacher education in the region;

e.         Provide professional assistance to Teacher Education
Institutions (TEIs) that have expressed the need for such assistance;

f.          Encourage mutual support among TEIs in the region for upgrading and improving their programs; and

g.         Facilitate and help expedite accreditation among TEIs
either through the recognized accrediting bodies of the Federation of
Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) or through the
CHED-equivalent accrediting of Teacher Education programs.

ARTICLE VII
Composition, Appointment, Term of Office, Criteria for Selection of Regular Council Members, Powers and Functions

SECTION 1.       The Teacher Education Council. — The Teacher
Education Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council) shall be
composed of four (4) permanent members and seven (7) regular members as
representatives from different disciplines:

The following are the permanent members of the Council:

1.         Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports as ex-officio chairman;

2.         A Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as ex-officio member;

3.         Chairman of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) as ex-officio member; and

4.         A representative of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) as ex-officio member.

The seven (7) regular members of the Council who shall be
appointed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines upon
recommendation by the Council Chairman and in consultation with the TEC:

1.         A representative of centers of teacher education from Luzon;

2.         A representative of centers of teacher education from Visayas;

3.         A representative of centers of teacher education from Mindanao;

4.         One (1) representative of Science Teachers;

5.         One (1) representative of Mathematics Teachers;

6.         One (1) representative of Social Studies Teachers;

7.         One (1) representative of Language Teachers.

These regular members shall take into account the views of the
parents, teachers, community associations, student associations,
non-governmental associations, and people organizations concerned with
basic education.

Except for the Ex-officio Chairman of the Council, the other
Officers of the Council shall be elected by the members from among the
regular members.

SECTION 2.       Compensation . — The members of the
Council shall serve without any compensation but shall be entitled to
reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred by them in
carrying out their duties as mandated by R.A. 7784 subject to the usual
accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

SECTION 3.       Term of Office . — All regular members of the Council shall hold office for a period of three (3) years.

SECTION 4.       Criteria for the Selection of Regular Council Members. — The criteria for the selection of regular members are as follows:

a.         Integrity;

b.         Expertise and experience in teacher education and its activities;

c.         Recognized expertise in Education in any area of specialization, either nationally or internationally; and

d.         Willingness to serve.

The Institution from where a Council member may be connected shall
support the Council member by providing for the necessary official time
or financial assistance when the Council member performs his/her duty
in the Council.

SECTION 5.       Powers and Functions of the Council. — Here under are the powers and functions of the Council:

a.         Identify and designate from among existing public and
private schools, teacher education institutions as Centers of
Excellence for Teacher Education, at the national, regional or
provincial levels;

b.         Formulate policies and standards for teacher
education upon recommendation by the Technical Panel for Teacher
Education of the Commission on Higher Education to improve the system of
teacher education in all existing public and private schools to pursue
teacher education careers;

c.         Initiate a periodic review of curricula and programs
for teacher education as well as training through participatory methods,
such as Self-Assessment and Peer Review methods;

d.         Adopt an adequate system of incentives such as
scholarship grants, loan programs, subsidies, stipends, and other
similar benefits and incentives in order to attract and encourage
outstanding high school graduates whether from public or private schools
to pursue teacher education careers;

e.         Encourage the establishment of consortia and other
cooperative arrangements among teacher education schools, public or
private, for greater efficiency and economy in the use of resources;

f.          Design collaborative programs or projects that will
enhance pre-service teacher training, in-service training, re-training,
orientation and teacher development;

g.         Direct the conduct of relevant studies in teacher
education, through the research funds of the Commission on Higher
Education, needed in the formulation of policies and in the planning and
successful implementation of plans, programs, and projects required in
attaining the purposes of R.A. 7784;

h.         Review existing legislations and recommend new
legislations and policies of the government in order to improve teacher
education and promote the welfare of the teachers;

i.          Recommend appropriate measures to the President of
the Philippines, Congress and heads of other government offices and
agencies to improve, enhance and strengthen teacher education; and

j.          Call upon any Department, Bureau, Office or
Government Corporation, local government units, and other concerned
agencies for assistance in areas falling within their mandates.

ARTICLE VIII
The Council Secretariat and Administrative Support Staff

SECTION 1.       The Secretariat. — The Council shall
organize and appoint a Secretariat within 30 days from the promulgation
of the Implementing Rules and Regulation of R.A. 7784. The Council
Secretariat shall be headed by an Executive Director to be appointed by
the Council. The Executive Director shall report directly to the Council
Chairman.

SECTION 2.       Functions . — The Council Secretariat shall have the following functions:

a.         Provide the necessary assistance to the Council in executing its policies and programs;

b.         Provide the necessary administrative support for the Teacher Education Council;

c.         Coordinate with the various Teacher Education
advisory bodies for the implementation of the Council policies and
programs;

d.         Administer the day-to-day activities of the Teacher
Education Council including the organization of the Annual Convention of
Centers of Excellence, monitoring and evaluation of Centers of
Excellence, and others;

e.         Update the Teacher Education Council on the
activities of the various teacher education advisory bodies and the
performance of the various teacher education institutions in the
country;

f.          Develop and enhance a Teacher Education Management
Information System for the country as basis for policy formulation of
the Teacher Education Council.

SECTION 3.       Staffing of the Council Secretariat. —
To ensure that the Council’s plans, policies, and programs are properly
implemented, the Executive Director shall recommend to the Council the
appointment of the staff of the Council Secretariat.

SECTION 4.       Office of the Council Secretariat . — The Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall provide the Council Secretariat its permanent office.

ARTICLE IX
Active Participation of Local Government Units

Local government units shall include their plans, programs, and
projects the development and improvement of teacher education through
the Centers of Excellence in their respective regions. Copies of this
IRR shall be provided to all government officials in the country.

ARTICLE X
Appropriations

SECTION 1.       Initial Appropriations . — The sum of
One hundred Million Pesos (P100,000,000.00) was authorized and
appropriated from the income of duty-free shops or otherwise known as
the Trust Liability Account of the Department of Tourism, for the
initial organizational and developmental activities of the Centers and
the Council: provided, however, that not more than five (5) percent or
P5M shall be devoted to Council’s expenses. A special TEC-account shall
be set up for the purpose of this Act.

SECTION 2.       Succeeding Appropriations. — Thereafter,
such amount as may be necessary to carry out its function, shall be
included in the annual budget of the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports. Amounts to be allocated for pre-service and in-service
training shall be based on the budget estimates to be submitted by the
Executive Director of the Council.

SECTION 3.       Fund Administration . — The Council
funds shall be administered by the Executive Director of the Teacher
Education Council who shall render annual financial accountability
report to the Council. The accounting of funds shall be undertaken by
DECS and the auditing of reports by the DECS Resident Auditor.

ARTICLE XI
Effectivity

This Implementing Rules and Regulations shall take effect immediately after its approval by the Council.

Adopted: 20 July 2000