VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Tuesday gave assurance that teachers will not be asked to do volunteer work during their 30-day break after school year 2023-2024 ends.
Duterte made the pledge during the National Teachers’ Month kick-off program at the Bohol Wisdom School, saying the teachers’ end of school year (EOSY) rights wer already included in the official school calendar.
End of school year for the current academic year was set June 17 to August 25, 2024.
“We made sure that in this year’s school calendar, teachers will have 30 straight days of rest during the break without any DepEd activity that requires volunteer work,” Duterte said.
“All activities with voluntary participation is scheduled after the said 30-day break,” ashe added.
Duterte said the Department of Education (DepEd) intends to release a memorandum to school heads and regional directors, urging them to answer the teachers’ complaints that they were being asked to report within the 30-day break.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier approved the creation of 5,000 non-teaching positions for public schools all over the country to provide “adequate manpower and support to educators in giving quality instruction to learners.”
Broken down, the created 5,000 non-teaching positions are mostly 3,500 Administrative Officer (AO) II positions intended to relieve teachers of administrative tasks that support operations.
The remaining 1,500 are Project Development Officer (PDO) I positions, which shall complement the AO II and other non-teaching personnel in schools by facilitating the implementation of various programs, projects, and activities initiated by schools or mandated by the DepEd Central Office.
Duterte also said the DepEd was about to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to provide an exclusive lane that will handle the teachers’ concerns.
A website will also be launched soon to provide free legal assistance to teachers regarding their loan contracts.
The Education chief also said that DepEd is developing an automated system for an objective selection in the hiring and promotion of teachers.
In paying tribute to the teachers, Duterte said they are “spark of inspiration in every classroom, the guiding light of countless possibilities and better futures, and the builders of our nation’s dreams.”
“Teachers have essentially helped build our country. And teachers will always be there as we move forward with our aspirations to see a stable, secure, peaceful, and strong motherland,” she added.
This year’s National Teachers’ Month will have the theme “Together4Teachers.” The month-long celebration will culminate on October 5, in time for the World Teachers’ Day.
Since majority of students from public schools are poor, Sen. Raffy Tulfo filed a bill mandating public elementary and secondary schools to implement a mandatory policy of no collection of any fees or contributions.
In filing Senate Bill (SB) No. 2420, Tulfo noted that burdening public school students with extra fees only discourage them from pursuing their studies.
“By implementing a no collection policy in public schools, this bill seeks to eliminate the barriers that hinder the enrollment and retention of students,” said Tulfo.
“Families with limited financial means will no longer face out-of-pocket costs associated with sending their children to school, thus promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities in education,” added Tulfo on his bill.
Under SB No. 2420, no fees shall be collected from school children in pre-school up to Grade IV, during the enrollment period and at any time during the school year.
For grade and year levels beyond Grade 4, no collection of any type should be undertaken during the enrolment period and the first month of classes. Starting on the second month, contributions for some memberships may be collected, but only on a voluntary basis and should not be demanded, including boy/girl scouts and Red Cross memberships, among others.
Tulfo’s proposed legislation is grounded in the recognition of the constitutional mandate for the provision of free public education at the elementary and secondary levels.
Moreover, it aligns with the country’s commitment to achieve the Education For All (EFA) Plan 2015 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly concerning primary school participation.