2025 National Assessment for School Heads Results Analysis
Detailed analysis of the Batch 1 results from the 2025 National Assessment for School Heads (NASH), covering scoring metrics and DepEd career progression.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has released the results of the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH) for Fiscal Year 2025 (Batch 1), representing a fundamental shift in how the agency evaluates school leadership readiness. This assessment, conducted on September 7, 2025, follows the renaming and refocusing of the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH). Unlike the previous NQESH, which functioned primarily as a qualifying exam, the NASH is designed as a developmental assessment tool. It seeks to identify specific areas for improvement among aspiring school leaders while ensuring that appointments to School Principal positions are based on merit and competency.
ℹ️ Info: Key Policy Shift
The NASH represents a paradigm shift from a pass/fail examination to a
developmental assessment that identifies specific areas for growth among
aspiring school leaders.
This shift in assessment strategy is a direct response to the findings of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which highlighted that 55% of public schools have operated without fully designated school principals. By creating a more inclusive assessment path, DepEd intends to increase the pool of qualified candidates to fill the reported 165,443 infrastructure gap and personnel vacancies that have plagued the system for decades.
Assessment framework and scoring methodology
The NASH is grounded in the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH), as institutionalized by DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020. The assessment covers five domains of practice: Leading Strategically, Managing School Operations and Resources, Focusing on Teaching and Learning, Developing Self and Others, and Building Connections. To ensure a structured evaluation, the assessment uses the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. This framework allows for the measurement of conceptual understanding and situational critical thinking skills rather than simple rote memorization.
In determining the scores for the 11,308 participants who completed the assessment, DepEd used the Ordinal Partial Credit Model. This quantitative analysis uses z-statistics to ensure that results are comparable across different assessment sites and versions of the test. The scoring occurs at multiple levels:
- Item level: Responses are scored on a 0 to 3 scale, where 0 is incorrect and 3 is the most correct, allowing for the recognition of partial understanding.
- Indicator level: Scores are standardized using z-statistics and converted to a 1 to 100 scale.
- Domain level: A weighted average of indicators within a domain is calculated and transformed into a 1 to 100 scale.
- NASH overall score: A final normalized weighted average is produced to provide a representative view of the examinee's performance.
Statistical breakdown of batch 1 results
Out of the 11,385 individuals who attempted the exam across 42 assessment sites, 11,308 (99.32%) successfully completed the process. The results show a wide distribution of competency levels, with a significant majority of takers requiring further professional support.
| Competency Level | Criteria | Number of Takers | Percentage |
|---|
| Meeting PPSSH Standards in 4 Domains | Score of 65+ in at least 4 domains | 2,899 | 25.6% |
| Meeting PPSSH Standards in 3 Domains | Score of 65+ in at least 3 domains | 1,509 | 13.3% |
| With Developmental Areas | Score below 65 in 3 or more domains | 6,900 | 61.0% |
NASH Batch 1 Competency Level Distribution — Distribution of 11,308 takers across three competency levels
| Level | Count |
|---|
| Meeting 4 Domains | 2899 |
| Meeting 3 Domains | 1509 |
| Developmental Areas | 6900 |
⚠️ Warning: Key Finding
Only 38.9% of Batch 1 takers are currently considered prospective
candidates for entry-level School Principal I positions. The remaining 61%
must complete Professional Development Interventions (PDI) before they can be
considered for promotion.
These figures indicate that only 38.9% of the Batch 1 takers are currently considered prospective candidates for entry-level School Principal I positions. The remaining 61% are required to undergo targeted Professional Development Interventions (PDI) before they can be considered for promotion.
Implications for prospective candidates
Individuals who met the standards in at least three domains are now eligible for assessment against the prescribed qualification standards for School Principal I. However, those who met standards in only three domains have an additional requirement: they must participate in a targeted development program addressing their identified area for improvement within three months of their appointment.
Requirements for those with developmental areas
The 6,900 participants categorized as having developmental areas must complete PDIs managed by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) or an authorized external provider. These interventions focus on the specific PPSSH domains where the taker scored below 65. To move forward in the School Administration Career Line, these individuals must also complete a Work Application Plan (WAP) certified by their Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).
ℹ️ Info: PPSSH Domains
The assessment evaluates competency across five domains: Leading
Strategically, Managing School Operations and Resources, Focusing on Teaching
and Learning, Developing Self and Others, and Building Connections.
Regional performance and top achievers
The NASH Batch 1 results included a list of regional top performers who demonstrated mastery of the PPSSH domains. The National Capital Region (NCR) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) showed a high density of top-performing individuals.
| Region | Top Performing School Heads (Sample) | Schools Division |
|---|
| NCR | Ojano, Maricrys Guzman | Paranaque City |
| NCR | Yap, Sonia Castillejos | Valenzuela City |
| NCR | Arnaldo, Rachel Cartago | Malabon City |
| CAR | Sagao, Ricalito Alipio | Abra |
| CAR | Rescopin, Janette Calngan | Apayao |
| Region I | Salazar, Jonathan Jimenez | Dagupan City |
| Region II | Allam, Jayson Tamayao | Cagayan |
| Region III | Villanueva, Rodeza Mendoza | Bulacan |
In the NCR, Valenzuela City and Malabon City produced multiple top performers, including Ma. Theresa Cristobal Dinong and Aprilyn Gutierrez Reyes. In the CAR region, the division of Apayao showed significant success with leaders like Rina Concordia Lunggay and Jufel Daguio Simeon appearing on the top performers list.
✅ Success: View Complete Passers List
Looking for the full list of NASH passers? Browse our comprehensive,
searchable database of all FY 2025 NASH Batch 1 results by region and
division. View NASH Passers Database →
Alignment with the expanded career progression system
The administration of the NASH is intrinsically linked to Executive Order No. 174, s. 2022, which established the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System for Public School Teachers. This system was designed to allow teachers to grow in their careers without being forced into administrative roles simply for higher pay. However, for those choosing the School Administration Career Line, the NASH serves as the mandatory assessment path.
Assessment Completion Rate — Out of 11,385 registered takers, 99.32% successfully completed the NASH
| Status | Takers |
|---|
| Completed | 11308 |
| Did Not Complete | 77 |
According to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of EO 174, Master Teacher I personnel who aspire to move into school administration must pass the DepEd-administered school head assessment. DepEd Memorandum No. 069, s. 2025 further clarifies that first appointments to School Principal positions, whether through natural vacancy or reclassification, require passing this assessment. This ensures that the leadership pipeline is populated by individuals who meet the revised Qualification Standards (QS) for Principal I, as detailed below:
| Requirement | Standard for School Principal I |
|---|
| Education | Master’s degree in Education, Educational Management, or 9 units in Management |
| Experience | 5 years teaching experience and 1 year relevant admin/supervisory experience |
| Training | 32 hours of training in Curriculum, Pedagogy, or Leadership in the last 5 years |
| Eligibility | RA No. 1080 (Teacher) |
Procurement and assessment integrity
To ensure the credibility of the NASH, DepEd engaged third-party consultancy services for the online administration and management of the exam. The procurement process, detailed in the 2024 Bidding Documents (Project No. 2024-BHROD3(001)-BVI-CB-052), required an integrated solution for test items automation and a secure online examination platform capable of handling 22,000 simultaneous examinees.
The system employs several safeguards to maintain the integrity of the results:
- Automated ID verification and remote proctoring including image/audio/video capture.
- Use of the Rasch model for processing results, which provides a more precise measurement of ability than traditional raw scores.
- Strict "No Contact Rules" during the evaluation period to prevent external influence on the ranking of consultants and examinees.
- Encryption of data both in transit and at rest to comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
DepEd has issued warnings against participating in unauthorized review classes or claiming to have access to the content of the examination. Any personnel found engaging in such activities, or attempting to bribe officials, will face administrative action under DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2006.
Analysis of leadership gaps and professional development
The fact that 61% of takers fell into the developmental category highlights a significant gap in the current leadership training programs. EDCOM II findings suggest that school leaders have received limited professional development support from DepEd or NEAP since 2018. The lack of a standardized induction program has left many school heads, particularly those serving as Teachers-in-Charge (TICs) or Officers-in-Charge (OICs), underprepared for the complexities of managing school operations and resources.
🚨 Alert: Leadership Gap Crisis
EDCOM II reports that 55% of public schools have operated without fully
designated school principals, contributing to the current learning crisis
where Grade 3 students are found to be 1 to 2 years behind curriculum
expectations.
The NASH results provide a necessary baseline for NEAP to design more effective in-service training. Currently, many TICs and OICs serve for more than three years without receiving compensation commensurate with their responsibilities or a structured path to becoming permanent principals. The results of Batch 1 will allow the Human Resource Development unit under the School Governance and Operations Division to monitor the progress of these leaders more effectively.
Candidate Pathway to Principal Position — Breakdown of takers by their path to School Principal I eligibility
| Pathway | Candidates |
|---|
| Ready for Appointment | 2899 |
| Requires 3-Month PDI | 1509 |
| Requires Full PDI | 6900 |
Data from the assessment identifies specific strands within the PPSSH that require attention. For example, Domain 2 (Managing School Operations and Resources) and Domain 3 (Focusing on Teaching and Learning) are essential for addressing the current learning crisis, where Grade 3 students are found to be 1 to 2 years behind curriculum expectations. Strengthening the ability of school heads to provide technical assistance to teachers in these areas is a primary objective of the post-assessment PDI programs.
✅ Success: Positive Outlook
The successful appointment of the 2,899 candidates who met standards in
four domains would increase the number of public schools with designated
principals from 45% toward a more stable leadership structure.
The NASH Batch 1 results indicate a rigorous evaluation process that prioritizes competency over mere years of service. While 38.9% of takers have emerged as prospective candidates, the 61% in the developmental category represents a substantial group of educators who require immediate institutional support. This data confirms the EDCOM II assertion that fixing the foundations of the education system requires not just more classrooms, but more qualified and supported leaders at the school level. The successful appointment of the 2,899 candidates who met standards in four domains would increase the number of public schools with designated principals from 45% toward a more stable leadership structure, provided the agency can move past the 6-month delays typical in the current hiring process.