Angara: DepEd Ends Practice of Giving Early Grades to New Teachers, Taps Best Educators to Fix Reading Gaps
DEPED EARLY GRADES – The Department of Education (DepEd) will put its best teachers in Grades 1 to 3 to tackle reading difficulties at the earliest stage, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in remarks published on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Angara said the department has moved away from its old practice of assigning newly hired teachers to the early grades. Instead, experienced and capable teachers will handle young learners so that their special needs get proper attention.
“We’re assigning the best teachers, not necessarily the young teachers but some of our best teachers, to ensure that any special needs are given attention,” Angara said in a television interview.
The shift responds to findings of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) that one in 10 learners in Grades 1 to 3 are struggling readers. Based on the End-of-School-Year 2025-2026 assessment, about 10 percent of the 5,127,670 learners covered were still having trouble reading. Related: EDCOM 2: 1 in 10 Grades 1-3 Learners Still Struggling to Read.
“It is important to address such difficulties as early as possible,” the education chief said.
Angara also said DepEd has stopped transmutation, the practice of adjusting grading standards so that almost every learner passes, which EDCOM 2 had linked to mass promotion. “We have put an end to that,” he said.
He admitted it is hard to accept that many students are failing, but said the department must face the problem head-on. “We need to bite the bullet, as the saying goes, we can only delay dealing with the problem for so long,” Angara said, adding that DepEd needs to revamp its curriculum, grading system, timetables, semesters and scheduling.
The education secretary stressed that steady funding is needed to keep the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program going. The program, which provides learning interventions for students who are falling behind, started in school year 2025-2026.
“If we really want to go on the fast track to improve learner outcomes, the ARAL will be a crucial part of that,” Angara said, noting that the program is always at or near the top of DepEd’s budget wish list.
For teachers, the policy means early-grade classrooms will increasingly be handled by seasoned educators, a change that could matter for assignments and staffing decisions in schools nationwide.