Ian Paolo Villacencio

Following a report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) that several public schools nationwide operate without school heads, the Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing for a "one school, one principal" policy, aiming to alleviate school management issues.

Photo Courtesy of DepEd.

According to EDCOM II, 24,916 schools have their managing operations despite the lack of school principal presence.

In an interview, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara stressed the urgency of addressing the leadership vacuum in public schools and the need for a policy shift to ensure that each school has a designated leader on January 31.

“Gagawa tayo at mag-de-deploy ng School Principal items sa mga paaralan na wala nito….sa kasalukuyang patakaran natin, hindi automatic na 1 school head per 1 school. Babaguhin natin ito. Basta may school, may principal dapat,” Angara said.

Angara further emphasized how crucial it is to transfer eligible school head candidates from oversupplied districts to underprivileged places.

“Kailangan din natin makita ang overall distribution. Saan may regions na may oversupply ng qualified principals? Paano ma-i-distribute ito while being fair to the principal applicant?” he added. 

Under the nation's educational system, school heads are essential in managing school operations, providing instructional leadership, making sure policies are implemented effectively, and creating a positive learning environment that improves student results and teacher performance.

To further support the initiative, DepEd is preparing to decentralize the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH), making it more accessible to aspiring school leaders while maintaining standardized requirements across regions.  

These reforms are part of DepEd's broader efforts to ensure equitable access to quality education by strengthening school leadership in the country.