NCBTS TEACHERS' STRENGTHS & NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Background
THE TSNA SYSTEM FRAMEWORK
The Department of Education is presently pursuing a package of policy reforms that seeks to
improve the quality of basic education. These policy reforms are expected to create the critical
changes necessary to further accelerate, broaden, deepen and sustain the improved education
effort already started. This package of policy reforms is referred to as the Basic Education Sector
Reform Agenda (BESRA). One key element in the reform agenda is the establishment of the
National Competency-Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS). This is a framework that establishes the
competency standards for teacher performance so that teachers, learners and stakeholders are able
to appreciate the complex set of behaviors, attitudes and skills that each teacher must possess in
order to carry out a satisfactory performance of their In response to the need for an instrument
that identifies the professional strengths and development needs of the teachers, the NCBTS-
Teachers' Strengths and Needs Assessment (TSNA) was developed and validated through the
AusAID-funded Project STRIVE (Strengthening the Basic Education in the Visayas), in
coordination with the EDPITAF (Educational Development Implementing Task Force), and
Regions VI, VII and VIII, Divisions of Negros Occidental, Bohol and Northern Samar, and
further validated by the TEDP-TWG (Teacher Education Development Program-Technical Working
Group at This tool is part of the NCBTS-TSNA Package that includes an NCBTS orientation
program and resource materials, structured learning session guides, manual for administration,
scoring and interpretation, hard copy and e-versions of the tool and the monitoring and
evaluation scheme and tools for the implementation of the NCBTS-The Teachers’ Strengths &
Needs Assessment (TSNA), is seen to be essential in the provision of quality professional
development programs that are aligned to the needs of the programs’ clientele. The TSNA
determines the differences between the actual situation (what is) and the desired condition (what
should be) in terms of teacher’s competencies within the department. In this NCBTS-TSNA the
actual situation is described the current competencies as perceived by the teacher. The profile of
the teacher’s current competencies is compared to the NCBTS standards for effective teaching.
This TSNA, therefore, identifies the competency strengths as well as the gap between the
expected and the current teacher’s competencies in terms of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes
(KSAs) that actually define the domains, strands and performance The TSNA involves three
essential stages of training needs analysis: Phase I (Job Analysis for Effective Teaching) is
actually done by analyzing nationally set teacher standards in behavioral terms or by identifying
effective teaching competencies. The DepED Central Office and Regional Offices are tasked to
do this phase of the TSNA process.