Public school teachers staged a sunrise picket protest in Mendiola, Manila, on Monday, July 29, criticizing the government's ongoing neglect in addressing chronic shortages of classrooms, teachers, education support personnel, learning materials, and facilities --- issues that have been exacerbated by the recent damage caused by Typhoon Carina.

“Hindi lang mga kalamidad ang nananalasa sa mga guro at bata ngayong balik-eskwela kundi mas matindi pa ang hagupit na dala ng patuloy na kapabayaan ng gobyerno sa edukasyon (It’s not just disasters that are affecting teachers and students as school resumes; the impact of the government’s continued neglect of education is even more severe),” said Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines Chairperson Vladimer Quetua.

The teachers unfolded worn-out umbrellas with large holes to symbolize the government’s “neglect and flawed policies,” which, they argued, are insufficient to address the overwhelming crisis in education.

‘Ill-conceived’ MATATAG Curriculum

In addition to the existing resource shortages, ACT’s protest focused on calling for a halt to the implementation of the revised curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 10, known as the MATATAG Curriculum.

“The MATATAG curriculum is being imposed without evidence-based learning assessments, proper consultation, sufficient materials, or adequate training,” Quetua said.

READ: 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/12/understanding-dep-ed-s-matatag-k-to-10-curriculum

The teachers expressed their dismay over the overwhelming workload they will face due to the implementation of the “ill-conceived” MATATAG curriculum and program.

“Pipigain ang karamihan sa mga guro sa walong klaseng dapat turuan sa isang araw dahil sa pagpapaikli ng oras ng klase (Most teachers will be overwhelmed by the eight subjects they need to teach in a single day due to the shortening of class hours),” Quetua said.

READ: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/8/dep-ed-gears-up-for-implementation-of-matatag-curriculum-starting-this-year

During urgent consultations with teachers, ACT discovered a “troubling” issue: integrating the National Reading Program (NRP) and National Mathematics Program (NMP) into the MATATAG curriculum.

ACT said this integration is forcing class advisers and non-math teachers to “teach subjects beyond their expertise.”

“This not only compromises the quality of instruction but also undermines the goal of learning recovery,” ACT said.

Moreover, the teachers reported that some schools “have not received training for implementing the MATATAG curriculum” despite orders to adhere to the MATATAG time allotment in class schedules.

In demanding an immediate halt to the MATATAG curriculum implementation, ACT urged the government and the Department of Education (DepEd) to “cease their relentless curriculum experiments.”

READ: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/28/dep-ed-releases-policy-guidelines-for-matatag-curriculum-implementation-for-sy-2024-2025

“Our teachers and students are not test subjects for unfounded trials,” Quetua said.

In addition to overhauling the basic education curriculum, ACT reiterated its call for a substantial increase in the education budget to six percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to address extensive shortages, as well as “just and decent” compensation for teachers and education workers.

“Without prioritizing education, we cannot hope to resolve the deep-seated problems that have long hampered the delivery of quality education,” Quetua said.

RELATED STORY: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/28/group-demands-immediate-halt-of-dep-ed-s-matatag-curriculum-find-out-why