𝗜𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗥: 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

The country’s most crowded classrooms may finally get breathing room as the Department of Education gears up to hire 32,916 new teachers in 2026—one of its biggest recruitment waves in recent years. Tucked inside the 2026 National Expenditure Program, the expansion signals a major push to support public schools grappling with shortages, large class sizes, and rising learner needs.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the new positions aim to put more hands—and hearts—inside classrooms where they’re needed most. With thousands of fresh Teacher I items lined up, DepEd hopes to reduce congestion, improve learner attention, and bring students closer to the individualized support the system has long struggled to provide. It’s a move not just about filling vacancies, but strengthening the entire backbone of public education.

But the reinforcements do not stop with teachers. DepEd also plans to hire 6,000 new School Principals and 10,000 School Counselor Associates, acknowledging the growing need for stronger campus leadership and mental health support. Cases of bullying, student burnout, and academic gaps have all underscored one thing: schools need more than just instructors—they need full teams ready to guide, counsel, and manage. Additional administrative officers and project development staff are also on the way to ensure school programs run smoothly from the ground up.

For an agency routinely stretched thin, the hiring plan is more than a budget line—it’s a commitment. It tells teachers, parents, and learners that the reforms they’ve long demanded are finally within reach. And with 20,000 new teaching positions already set for 2025, DepEd is signaling that help isn’t just coming—it’s already on the move, squarely in the corner of every student who needs it most.

Image from Patrick Roque