CHAPTER 7: Continuing Professional Development

The Lifeblood of the Teaching Profession

Learning Outcomes :
1) explain why CPD is necessary for professional teachers,
2) discuss pertinent provisions of the CPD Act of 2016 and other related legal
documents, and ,
3) commit to continuing professional development.

Introduction

The professional license for teaching obtained after passing the Licensure
Examination for Teachers (LET) simply tells that the professional teacher possesses
the minimum competencies expected of professional teachers. Hence, every
professional teacher is expected to continue developing after obtaining his/her
professional license. This is one big demand for a professional teacher. The Code of
Professional Conduct for Public School Teachers cited in Section 7 of RA 4670
states: “Responsibility is something expected of a professional teacher. The work of
the teacher in the development and guidance of the young is a tremendous
responsibility for which he is accountable to God, to his country, and to posterity. It is
a trust of which every teacher should strive to be worthy.”

In fact, all professional teachers owe it to themselves and to the clientele they serve
to go through CPD. When doctors and nurses commit mistake, they bury their
mistake. When a lawyer commits a mistake. He/she puts his/her mistake behind
bars. What about the teacher? When a teacher commits a mistake he/ she multiplies
that mistake. A professional, therefore, cannot afford to commit a mistake. A
professional needs to go through CPD.

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (the revised National

Competency-Based Teacher Standards) includes personal growth and professional
development as the seventh domain. With the enactment of RA 10912, the CPD Law
of 2016, CPD for all the professions regulated by PRC is now mandatory Mandating
CPD is the only way all professionals including teachers are made to go through
CPD. CPD for professional teachers is not an option. It is a necessity. Continuing
professional development for professional teacher sharpens the professional
teacher’s competitive edge in a highly competitive global world.
The Philosophical Basis of CPD

“Growth is an evidence of life.”

This implies that anything that is alive grows or anything that grows is alive. So a
teacher who is alive grows physically, psychologically, mentally, socially, emotionally,
spiritually. If he/she doesn’t grow, it means he/she is no longer alive.

“Man/woman is an unfinished project. “

For a professional teacher, he/she is always in the process of becoming better and
better as a person and as a professional teacher.

“No person has arrived.”

No professional can claim he/she has already arrived at a state of perfection, Neither
“Perfecta” not “Perfecto” who is perfect by the name is not perfect. This means that
no professional has arrived at a perfect state. This implies that every professional is
expected to continue developing.

The Historical and Legal Bases of Continuing Professional

Development in the Philippines
Even before the enactment of this CPD Act of 2016, CPD was already alluded to in
the 1987 Philippine Constitution. No less than the fundamental law of the land,
Section 5, Paragraph 4, state: “The State shall enhance the right of teachers to
professional advancement.”
Other laws also cited continuing professional development, as follows:
1. Batas Pambansa 232, the Education Act of 1982. Chapter 3: Duties and
obligations, Sections 18, (4) states as one of teacher’s obligations to assume
the responsibility to maintain and sustain his professional growth and
advancement…”
2. RA 9155, An Act Instituting a Framework of Governance for Basic Education,
Establishing Authority and Accountability, Renaming the Department of
Education, Culture and Sports as the Department of Education, and for other
purposes, was enacted on August 11, 2001. In the enumeration of duties and
functions of the Secretary of Education, Section 7A., to wit

In addition to his/her powers under existing laws, the Secretary of Education shall
have authority, accountability and responsibility among other things for… (6)
Enhancing the employment status, professional competence, welfare and working
conditions of all personnel of the Department …Section 7 E states, to wit,
“Consistent with the national educational policies, plans and standards, the school
heads shall have authority, accountability and responsibility for encouraging staff
development (underscoring mine)
3. R.A. 7536, The Teacher’s Professionalization Act, also provided for mandatory
Continuing Professional Education (CPE), now referred to as Continuing
Professional Development (CPD), to wit
To encourage continuing professional growth and development and to provide
additional basis for meant promotion, in addition to their performance rating,
teachers may take an oral and written examination at least once in five (5) years as
basis for merit promotion in taking this examination, no fee shall be required (Sec 19.
Periodic Merit Examination of Teachers).
Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, the merit examination has not been
implemented up to writing time. The same R.A 7836 states:
Unjustified or willful failure to attend seminars workshops, conferences and the like
or the continuing education program prescribed by the Board and the Commission
(Sec. 23, h the Certificate of Registration, Suspension from the Practice of the
Teaching cancellation of Temporary or Special Permit) Revocation of Profession.
4. The Board for Professional Teachers (BPT) also passed Resolution NO. 435,
s. 177 to adopt the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers pursuant to the
provisions of paragraph € Article 11 of RA 7836, other- wise known as The
Philippine Teacher’s Professionalization Act of 1994. This Code of Ethics
states:
Every teacher shall participate in the Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
program of the Professional Regulation Commission, and shall pursue such other
studies as swill improve his efficiency, enhance the prestige of his profession, and
strengthen his competence, virtues and productivity in order To be nationally and
internationally competitive. (Section 3, Article IV)
5. Executive Order#266, Institutionalization of the Continuing Professional
Education (CPE) Programs of the Various Professional Regulatory Boards
(PRBS) Under the Supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission
(PRC). This was signed and issued by the Office of then President Fidel V.
Ramos on July 25, 1995, to wit..
The completion by professional licensees of the Continuing Professional Education
(CPE) programs adopted by all Boards is hereby imposed as a mandatory
requirement for the renewal of professional license (Sec. 1)
This Executive Order was premised on the following:

WHEREAS, the various professions play a crucial role in nation-building WHEREAS,

it is imperative to impose upon registered professional the completion of the
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) programs adopted by the concerned Board
as a the renewal of their licenses pre-requisite .
WHEREAS, the professional who undertake CPE programs are enabled not only to
upgrade or improve their technical knowledge and skills but also to keep them
abreast with modern trends and technology in their respective professions, thereby
assuring the rendition of highly qualitative professional services that will be globally
competitive under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the
same time securing the safety and protection of the public.
WHEREAS, the confidence and patronage of the public in a professional depend
upon his competence and the quality of service rendered resulting from his
acquisition of updated technical knowledge And skill;

6. R.A. 10912, Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016-With the

enactment of this law, CPD for all the forty-three (43) professions regulated by
PRC including the teaching profession has become mandatory

The Salient Provisions of RA 10912, The Continuing Professional Development

Act of 2016

A lot of questions have been raised about R.A 10912, otherwise known as
the Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016. Many teachers resist CPD. It
is claimed to be extra expense, extra Effort and extra time when in fact it is every
professional’s obligation. CPD is the only way professional can Sharpen their
competitive edge in an international world that has become global village, The need
for CPD is Heightened by ASEAN Integration and institutionalization which are now
real. To be in, a professional must Meet international standards. The way to go is
CPD.
The purposes of CPD for professional are stated in RA 10912. Article 1
Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote and
upgrade the practice of professions in the country. Towards this end, the State shall
institute measures that will continuously improve the competence of the
Professionals in accordance with the international standards of practice, thereby,
ensuring their contribution in uplifting the general welfare, economic growth and
development of the nation.
The State policy on promoting and upgrading the practice of professions In
the country and the institution of measures to “continuously improve the competence
of the professionals in accordance with international standards” and gives Filipino
professionals a competitive edge in the ASEAN region and in the world.
Number of CPD Units Required
Article III, Section 10 of the same CPD Act states. “The CPD is… made as a
mandatory requirement in the renewal of the Professional Identification Card (PICS)
of all registered and licensed professionals How many credit units are required for
the renewal of PICs? For the professional teachers’ group, based on Professional
Regulatory Board for Professional Teachers Resolution No.11, series of 2017, the
following credit units are required:

Period Number of Units

Required
December 2017 15 credit units
December-January 2018 30 credit units
January 2019- February 2019 40 credit units
March 2019 onwards(period transition 15 credit units

Ways by Which Professional Teachers Can Earn Credit Units

CPD credit units can be earned in 4 ways.
1.Professional track -this includes trainings provided by CPD providers
accredited by PRC. You can earn credit units as a participant to a training
approved by the CPD council. You earn more credit units if you serve as a
resource speaker, trainer or demonstration teacher. You also earn credit units as
panelist/reactor, facilitator/moderator. You earn much more if you are assigned by
the CPD Council to Monitor the conduct of an approved CPD program.
2. Academic track - this refers to the completion of a Master’s degree,
completion of candidacy to the doctorate program, completion of the doctorate
program, completion of a postdoctoral diploma, and being a recipient of a
professorial chair grant, and/or fellowship grant. Take note that ONLY
COMPLETION of the master’s degree is given full credit units. Earning MA units
is not given any credit Unit but completion of candidacy for the Doctorate degree
already entitles one to the required credit units. The master’s and doctorate
degrees must have been eamed five (5) years before renewal of Professional
license.
3. Self-directed track - this includes trainings offered by non- accredited CPD
providers. It refers to learning activities such as online training,
local/international seminars/no degree courses, institution/company-
sponsored training programs and the like which did not undergo CPD
accreditation but may be applied for and awarded CPD units by the respective
CPD Councils. In addition, self-directed track includes serving as accreditor
(e.g. ISO, ISA, PACUCOA, PAASCU, AACUP, etc.) It also includes study tours
and socio-civic activities using the profession.
4. . Productive Scholarship -this means that the professional teacher has
developed program/training module, curriculum guide or any other resource
material. Or the professional teacher has written an article in a professional
magazine or a technical/research paper and even better if that technical paper
is published in a refereed/peer-reviewed professional journal. Best if the
professional teacher writes a book or a monograph or comes up with an
invention or creative work, the latter entitles him/her to the required credit
units.

Even professional and/or lifetime achievement awards from the division

level regional, national and international level make the professional teacher
earn credit units. For specific number of credit units earned by professional
teachers per CPD activity, refer to Professional Regulatory Board for
Professional Teachers Resolution No. 11, series of 2017 and for that
information about the amendment of its profession, refer to PRC Resolution
No. 2019-1146, series of 2019.
CPD in Finland
Teachers in Finland meet one afternoon each week to jointly plan and develop
curriculum. They are encouraged to work together to share materials.

CPD in Japan

Lesson Study Approach to Professional Development Japan is well known for lesson
study. How does Japan do lesson study as a strategy for professional development?
Below is a detailed description of how Japan implements a lesson study:
Every teacher periodically prepares a best possible lesson that demonstrates
strategies to achieve a specific goal (e.g. students becoming active problem-solvers
or students leaming more from each other) in collaboration with other colleagues. A
group of teachers observe while the lesson is taught and usually record the lesson in
a number of ways, including videotapes, audiotapes, and narrative and/or checklist
observations that focus on areas of interest to the instructing teacher (e.g., how
many students volunteered their own ideas). Afterwards, the group of teachers, and
sometimes outside educators, discuss the lesson’s strengths and weakness, ask
questions, and make suggestions to improve the lesson. In some cases, the revised
lesson is given by another teacher only a few days later and observed and discussed
again.
Teachers themselves decide the theme and frequency of research lessons.
Large study groups often break up into subgroups of 4-6 teachers. The subgroups
plan their own lessons but work toward the same goal and teachers from all
subgroups share and comment on lessons and try to attend the lesson and follow-up
discussion. For a typical lesson study, the 10-15 hours of group meetings are spread
over three to four weeks. While schools let out between 2:40 AND 3:45 pm.,
teachers’ work days don’t end until 5 pm., which provides additional time for collegial
work and planning. Most lesson study meetings occur during the hours after school
lets out. The research lesson allows teachers to refine individual lessons, consult
with other teachers and get colleagues observations about their classroom practice,
reflect on their own practice, learn new content and approaches, and build a culture
that emphasizes continuous improvement and collaboration Some teachers also give
public research lessons, which expedites the spread of best practices across
schools, allows principals, district personnel, and policymakers to see how teachers
are grappling with new subject matter and goals, and gives recognition to excellent
teachers.

CPD in New Zealand

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Education gives funds for 20 percent release time
for new teachers And 10 percent release time for second-year teachers to observe
other teachers attend professional development activities, courses and work on
curriculum. Mentor teachers deliberately spend time to observe And confer with
beginning teachers.

Characteristics of Effective CPD

Based on the professional development practices and experiences of high

performing countries, we can say that a CPD that works is 1) continuous; 2)
collaborative; 3) focused on a specific teacher need; 4) job.-embedded: 5) given
enough time and 6) funded. The one-shot workshops that teachers bemoan don’t
work.
CPD must be continuous thus the word Continuing Professional Development.
A professional does not stop developing or else he/she ruts. Stagnant water
becomes putrid.
CPD must also be collaborative, thus the need to be part of a PLC, a
professional learning community. It was Helen Keller who said “Alone we can do so
little, together we can do so much.”
CPD must be focused on a specific teacher need. It responds to a need and so
is highly relevant to the teacher. A CPD that is prescribed by higher officials does not
necessarily respond to teachers’ need.
If CPD is job-embedded, it becomes even more relevant. The teacher has not
to be removed from The workplace for CPD so there is no work disruption. What the
teacher is trained on is exactly what he/she Does.
Quality CPD demands adequate time, What is 10 to 20 hours removed from
contact time with leaners? Quality time spent for CPD ultimately redounds to
improved teaching for the benefit of learners.
CPD with support funds is definitely better than one without.

REPORTERS:

PEE JAY CARITO

MARK QUIRO
LIZA MARIE ARNESTO
EDCEL CRUCILLO