MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) is eyeing to hire 9,650 additional teachers this year, its spokesperson said Thursday.

DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa said the hiring process is ongoing.

"Ayon po sa ating pag-uusap with our HR (human resources), ang target talaga natin - kasi meron tayong teacher items that we are targeting to hire for - around 9,650 [for this year]," Poa told reporters.

(Based on our talks with our HR, our target - because we have teacher items that we are targeting to hire for - is around 9,650 for this year.)

Poa reiterated that the lack of teachers and classroom continues to be a long-standing problem of the DepEd. He said DepEd has two tracks to resolve these issues.

• Construction of additional school buildings, classrooms a 'top priority': DepEd

"One track is iyong traditional, iyong pagpapatayo ng classrooms, pag-hire ng additional teachers... Ang isang track na ine-explore natin ngayon is really to maximize iyong technology that's available to us nang sa ganoon ma-amplify natin - iyong sinasabi nga ng ating Vice President [and Education Secretary Sara Duterte] - pagdating sa ating mga teachers," Poa explained.

(One track is the traditional, the one where we build classrooms and hire additional teachers... The other track we're exploring right now is really to maximize the technology that's available to us so we can amplify it - this is what the Vice President has been saying - when it comes to our teachers.)

"Secondly, matingnan natin kung puwedeng nating magamit itong technology for additional learning resources and to institutionalize blended learning," he added.

(Secondly, we're looking if we can use technology for additional learning resources and to institutionalize blended learning.)

Partnership portal launched

Meanwhile, the DepEd's private partners can now identify the specific needs of schools they want to help through the new DepEd Partnership Assistance Portal (DPAP).

Poa said the online portal will help "streamline the partnership process down to the school level" and "foster transparency."

Previously, private organizations that want to partner with DepEd have to get in touch with the agency's external partnerships office.

"Makikita na kaagad ng ating mga partners or want-to-be partners, who would like to contribute or help us out, makikita na nila kung ano talaga iyong mga specific na pangangailangan ng ating mga schools at makakapili na sila kung saan nila gustong tumulong," he said.

(Now our partners or want-to-be partners who would like to contribute or help us out, they can see the specific needs of our schools and choose where they want to help.)

The portal also provides a scheduling feature, where private partners can directly set an appointment with the school.

The DepEd is also eyeing to develop a mobile app for the partnerships website, Poa added.

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