Strengthening school leadership through PPSSH and NASH reforms
Analyze the impact of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads and the 2025 National Assessment results on educational reform and leadership quality.
The Philippine education system is currently undergoing a period of rigorous assessment and structural overhaul. The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has characterized the current state of the sector as a system failure, citing a persistent learning crisis and miseducation among Filipino learners. A fundamental element in addressing these systemic issues is the professionalization of school leadership. As identified in the EDCOM 2 findings, effective school leadership directly impacts school success and learner achievement, yet more than half of the country's 45,199 public schools currently operate without principals.
To bridge this gap, the Department of Education (DepEd) has institutionalized the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH) through DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020. This policy framework serves as a statement of professional accountability, defining what school heads must know and do to improve teacher quality and student outcomes. The implementation of the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH) in 2025 further operationalizes these standards by serving as a developmental tool to evaluate the readiness of aspiring leaders.
The context of the learning crisis
EDCOM 2 reports indicate that the foundations of the Philippine education system are struggling. Significant data points highlight the magnitude of the challenge: 26.7% of Filipino children under five years old are stunted, and approximately 18 million Filipinos who graduated from basic education are classified as functionally illiterate based on 2024 survey results. These figures underscore the necessity of moving away from a centralized structure toward a more agile and responsive system.
Leadership at the school level is the primary driver for reform on the ground. However, the current system has been hampered by outdated staffing standards from 1997, which prevented thousands of schools from having plantilla positions for principals. In response, DepEd has committed to allocating 15,000 new plantilla positions to ensure every school has a principal regardless of its size.
2025 NASH Batch 1 Competency Levels — Distribution of 11,308 test takers based on PPSSH standards
| Category | Count |
|---|
| Meeting standards in 4 domains | 2899 |
| Meeting standards in 3 domains | 1509 |
| With Developmental Areas | 6900 |
The PPSSH framework: five domains of leadership
The PPSSH framework consists of 34 strands organized into five domains. These domains define the breadth of practices required for 21st-century school leadership in the Philippines.
Leading strategically
This domain emphasizes the role of school heads in setting the direction and objectives of the school. It involves identifying and comprehending relevant laws, research, and feedback to establish connections and alignment across school policies. School heads are expected to execute collaborative strategies with stakeholders to respond to the dynamic needs of their respective schools.
Managing school operations and resources
School heads are tasked with the management of human, financial, and material resources. This includes ensuring transparency and accountability in the delivery of basic education services. The domain focuses on efficiency and fairness in discharging functions to maximize organizational health.
Focusing on teaching and learning
As instructional leaders, school heads provide technical assistance to teachers regarding curriculum, practice, and performance. This domain requires the creation of a learner-centered environment that ensures access to inclusive and excellent education. Leadership in this area is assessed by its impact on improving teacher competence and learner outcomes.
Developing self and others
Continuous professional development is a hallmark of the PPSSH. School heads are expected to reflect on their own practice while supporting the professional growth and welfare of their personnel. This involves providing opportunities for staff to learn, lead, and progress in their careers.
Building connections
This domain highlights the competence of school heads in engaging stakeholders to improve school communities. It involves building relationships anchored on mutual trust, honesty, and openness. School heads must advocate that education is a shared responsibility among parents, industries, and local government units (LGUs).
ℹ️ Info: Professional Development Requirement
NASH takers categorized as Meeting PPSSH standards in 3 domains must
participate in a targeted development program within three months of their
appointment to a principal position.
The 2025 National Assessment for School Heads (NASH)
The NASH replaces and refocusses the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH). It is designed as a developmental assessment tool to evaluate conceptual understanding and situational critical thinking skills. The assessment uses the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy as its framework.
In Fiscal Year 2025, the Batch 1 assessment saw 11,308 takers complete the examination. The scoring utilized the Ordinal Partial Credit Model, applying a multi-level scoring approach to items, indicators, and domains.
| Competency Level | Criteria | Status |
|---|
| Meeting standards in 4 domains | Score of 65+ in 4 domains | Prospective candidate for entry-level principal position |
| Meeting standards in 3 domains | Score of 65+ in 3 domains | Prospective candidate; must attend targeted development program |
| With Developmental Areas | Score below 65 in overall rating or <3 domains | Must undertake Professional Development Interventions (PDI) |
Results from Batch 1 indicate that 61% of takers fall into the "With Developmental Areas" category. These individuals must complete a PDI facilitated by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) and a relevant Work Application Plan certified by their Schools Division Superintendent before being considered as prospective candidates for Principal I positions.
Implications for career progression
The NASH is a prerequisite for the School Administration (SA) Career Line under the Expanded Career Progression system. This system allows for two distinct paths: a Teaching Career Line for those who wish to remain in the classroom, and a School Administration Career Line for leadership roles. Both tracks are designed to be equivalent in terms of salary grades and benefits, ensuring that classroom specialization is valued equally with administrative management.
⚠️ Warning: Eligibility for First Appointment
First appointments to School Principal positions, whether through natural
vacancy or reclassification, require passing the DepEd-administered school
head assessment (NASH or its equivalent).
Addressing operational and structural challenges
Beyond leadership competency, the EDCOM 2 reports highlight several operational bottlenecks that school heads must manage. These include a national shortage of 165,000 classrooms and a lack of textbooks. Between 2012 and 2023, only 27 textbook titles were procured for Grades 1 to 10. However, recent reforms have reduced the procurement timeline from 210 days to just 60 days, leading to the delivery of 60 new titles in a single year.
The role of local government units
Successful leadership models often involve strong partnerships with LGUs. For instance, in Norzagaray, Bulacan, Project BRIGHT resulted in 60.73% of Grade 1-3 students reading at their grade level, significantly higher than the national average of 47.74%. This success was attributed to small class sizes and robust local government support, including incentives for teachers and the provision of literacy materials.
Technical-vocational education alignment
School heads in the secondary sector also face challenges in aligning the Senior High School (SHS) curriculum with industry needs. Data shows that while the passing rate for the SHS-TVL track in National Certificate (NC) assessments is 98%, only 7% of students actually take the assessment due to financial constraints and a lack of assessors. The new "TechPro" track and the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act aim to address these mismatches by institutionalizing industry-led training and increasing the number of certified assessors.
Advancing higher education and teacher training
The reform agenda extends to the tertiary level through the reorganization of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). A primary concern is the proliferation of "diploma mills," particularly in teacher education graduate programs. EDCOM 2 findings show that more than half of the country's total graduate enrollment is concentrated in the field of education, yet 8 out of 10 graduate students fail to complete their degrees within the prescribed period.
To address this, a Joint Memorandum Circular was signed between CHED, DepEd, and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to establish an Online National Registry (ONR) for legitimate academic programs. Furthermore, the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) will be aligned with the teacher education curriculum beginning in September 2025, featuring separate examinations for Early Childhood Education and Special Needs Education.
Governance and the cabinet cluster for education
To ensure these reforms are coordinated across the three education agencies (DepEd, CHED, and TESDA), the President has approved the creation of a Cabinet Cluster for Education. This move addresses the "trifocalization" issue identified in the 1990s, which led to agencies working in silos. The cluster will oversee the implementation of a 10-year National Education and Workforce Development Plan (NatPlan) aimed at aligning educational output with labor market demands.
Barriers to College Completion — Primary reasons cited for student dropouts in higher education
| Reason | Value |
|---|
| Need to work/Poverty | 44 |
| Lack of engagement | 25 |
| Other factors | 31 |
Future outlook and professional accountability
The institutionalization of the PPSSH and the administration of the NASH represent a shift from purely administrative supervision to a holistic model of school leadership. The focus on instructional leadership, data-driven interventions, and community engagement is essential for reversing the learning crisis.
School heads are now held to a higher standard of transparency. The PPSSH principles state that decisions and actions must be open to public scrutiny, and school heads have the obligation to report and be answerable for their school's performance. As the 20th Congress deliberates on extending the life of EDCOM 2 until 2027, the focus remains on ensuring that these policy recommendations translate into enduring improvements in the classroom.
The path forward requires sustained investment in teacher and school leader development. As Rep. Jude Acidre noted, reforms alone are not enough; they must be backed by the right policies, structures, and investments to ensure that every Filipino learner is equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a rapidly changing global economy. The results of the 2025 NASH serve as a baseline for this transformation, identifying the specific developmental needs that must be addressed to build a world-class education system.