While it lauded the “landmark move” of the Department of Education (DepEd) that aimed to rationalization of workload for teachers, a group on Monday, May 13, urged the agency to also address the “ambiguities” in the said policy to ensure its effective implementation.
"Since this is a landmark policy, we don't want it to end up with a flawed implementation like previous DepEd issuances regarding teachers' working hours,” said Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) National Chairperson Benjo Basas in a statement.
Basas was referring to DepEd Order No. 5, s. 2024, entitled "Rationalization of Teachers' Workload in Public Schools and Payment of Teaching Overload" which, according to the group, is "a landmark move by DepEd and aims to address longstanding concerns regarding teacher workload and compensation, particularly focusing on overtime pay."
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“We believe that DepEd recognizes the importance of clarifying the policy and the need for collaborative efforts to ensure its success, as it will undoubtedly impact the welfare of teachers and the quality of education,” Basas added.
Concerns raised
Basas said TDC has already forwarded its assessment and recommendations regarding DepEd’s new workload policy through a formal letter sent to Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte on May 10.
TDC pointed out that while certain aspects of the newly issued DepEd Oder mirror the proposals it previously raised such as the teachers’ six hours reflected in the DTR to mean eight hours of service rendered; the non-requirement of means of verification (MOVs) for the two remaining hours; and as earlier mentioned, the payment of overtime pay for classroom work beyond the six hours, “we believe there are still ambiguities that require clarification.”
The group expressed its gratitude for the focus on overtime pay provisions, highlighting their alignment with Sections 13 and 14 of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (RA 4670).
“Notably, this marks the first time DepEd has issued specific guidelines on overtime or teaching overload pay since the enactment of the Magna Carta in 1966, signifying a pivotal moment in addressing the issues faced by our public mentors,” Basas said.
However, TDC said that there are still “ambiguities and inconsistencies” that the group outlined in detail, emphasizing the need for comprehensive guidance to ensure the policy's “effective implementation.”
Among the key points raised by the TDC are ambiguities surrounding the interpretation of teaching hours and its perceived deviation from the Magna Carta and a particular CSC Resolution.
TDC also raised concerns over the determination of teacher shortages in schools, and the allocation of resources for overtime or teaching overload payments, among other matters.
The group then urged the DepEd to acknowledge these “pressing concerns” and engage in constructive dialogue to address them effectively.
Basas said the TDC anticipates a swift response from DepEd, with a particular emphasis on engaging in a “comprehensive dialogue regarding the issue.”
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