MANILA, Philippines – The Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) is poised for its most significant overhaul in thirty years, as the government introduces distinct tests tailored to various teaching specialties.
In January 2025, The Summit Express reported that the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) was preparing to revise the Teacher Professionalization Act of 1994.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Co-Chairperson of EDCOM II and Chair of the Senate Basic Education Committee, highlighted the importance of drawing top talent into the teaching profession.
READ: After 31 years, Law on Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) set for reforms
Gatchalian noted that the law was last amended 31 years ago, and emphasized their goal to "future-proof" it, ensuring it remains responsive to the evolving needs and circumstances of the teaching profession.
On Thursday, April 10, after almost three months, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) jointly signed a memorandum circular. This initiative marks a departure from the uniform exam format established in 1996, aligning tests directly with specific teacher training programs for the first time.
Scheduled to commence in phases from September 2025 onward, the new system will feature separate licensure exams for elementary and secondary education with at least ten specializations.
These exams will encompass a range of specializations, including English, Filipino, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Values Education, Technology and Livelihood Education, Technical-Vocational Teacher Education, Physical Education, and Culture and Arts Education.
Aspiring teachers in early childhood and special needs education will likewise be required to take a separate licensure exam.
New Specializations for LET takers coming this September 2025:
- Early Childhood Education (BEEd)
- Special Need Education (BEEd)
- Technical-Vocational Teacher Education (BSEd)
- Physical Education (BSEd)
- Cultural and Arts Education (BSEd)
Each exam will evaluate three key areas: general education, professional education, and the specialized field aligned with the teacher’s area of training.
PRC Chairperson Charito Zamora stated that the introduction of specialized exams for teachers adds a vital layer of quality assurance, enabling the Department of Education to identify not just any licensed individuals, but those who are truly qualified for the profession.
The long-awaited reform to the teacher licensure exam addresses the persistent teacher-subject mismatch, marking a victory for education advocates and officials who have long championed aligning teacher assessments with subject-specific competencies.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the reform will direct impacts education quality. "Our schools are only as good as our teachers. They are the heart and soul of our system," he said during the signing ceremony.
The current one-size-fits-all licensure exam has consistently disadvantaged aspiring teachers in specialized fields.
In the March 2024 exams, physical education majors had a passing rate of just 34.1%, while technical-vocational education graduates performed even lower at 33.2%—both significantly below the national average of 62.9%, according to EDCOM 2.
Similarly, early childhood education specialists, required to take tests meant for general elementary teachers, managed only a 42.1% passing rate.
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
