The Department of Education (DepEd) formally kicked off this year’s National Teachers’ Month (NTM) celebration on Thursday, Sept. 5.
The month-long celebration, from Sept. 5 to Oct. 5, aims to honor and recognize the contributions of teachers nationwide.
The national kick-off, hosted by DepEd Region 1, took place in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
READ:
Honoring Filipino teachers
In a video message, Education Secretary Sonny Angara acknowledged the service and commitment of teachers and assured them that DepEd, under the Marcos administration, will continue to work for their betterment.
“You are the foundation of our nation, and no progress is possible without our teachers,” Angara said. “Thank you for all your service and commitment,” he added.
Angara, appointed DepEd Secretary in July, shared some “good news” for teachers. He mentioned that public school teachers, as well as non-teaching personnel, will receive salary increase differentials.
READ:
Their teaching allowance, he added, will also be tax-free for the first time and will be effective this year.
Angara also explained that teachers will benefit greatly from the expanded career progression, as there are now additional positions.
READ:
In July, DepEd, under Angara, signed the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Expanded Career Progression System to enhance career growth opportunities for public school teachers.
READ:
Angara also mentioned the hiring of additional administrative staff in schools to reduce the tasks of teachers, allowing them to focus more on their teaching duties.
As announced by President Marcos, Angara noted that teachers will also receive a P7,000 medical allowance and proposed a “health plan” for teachers.
He also mentioned adjustments in the special hardship allowance to ensure that more teachers can avail of the benefit.
Moreover, Angara said the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) for 2023 and 2024 will be released soon.
Angara assured teachers that the MATATAG curriculum implementation will be “relaxed” following complaints from the field.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/16/dep-ed-eyes-more-flexible-implementation-of-matatag-curriculum
“We’re also preparing flexibility for the implementation of the MATATAG for our teachers, depending on the conditions in our schools,” Angara said.
“This is just the beginning,” Angara added, noting that President Marcos has already given DepEd “many instructions” to improve schools, provide computers, and equip Filipino students with modern technology, among other things.
Angara assured teachers that DepEd will continue to prioritize their welfare.
“We are listening to you,” Angara said. “Your concerns have reached us, and in the coming days, months, and years, we will be addressing some of these problems,” he added.
Praises are not enough
While aligning with DepEd and the entire country in celebrating this year’s NTM, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) reminded us that “praises are not enough” to honor the contribution of teachers to nation-building.
TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas, who joined DepEd and other teachers at the NTM kick-off in Ilocos Sur, said that a more fitting mark of honor and recognition for the greatness of teachers would be through proper treatment, care, respect for their rights, and ensuring their well-being every day, not just during celebrations.
Basas highlighted the “very low salaries” of teachers in the Philippines as one indicator that the state “lacks appreciation for teachers.”
Education demands
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines kicked off this year’s NTM by issuing their demands for the promotion of teachers’ status and the upliftment of education quality in the country.
In a press conference, ACT also underscored the importance of accountability and good governance in the education sector, as well as the upholding and protection of human and trade union rights of education workers in recognizing the contribution of teachers.
ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said that over five decades have passed since the global standards for the teaching profession were set yet the Philippine government has “failed” to meet these recommendations.
“Teachers remain overworked, underpaid, undersupported, and under attack, while the entire education sector languishes in chronic underfunding, plagued by anomalous expenditures and questionable underutilization of funds,” Quetua said.
ACT lamented that Filipino teachers and learners are “casualties of the state’s ongoing neglect” as the education budget remains below the recommended six percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as set by the United Nations (UN).
“This chronic underfunding has plunged the education system into a deeper crisis, with extensive shortages in classrooms, teachers, education support personnel, facilities, and teaching and learning materials,” Quetua said.
For this year’s NTM, which will culminate on Oct. 5—also World Teachers’ Day—ACT urged the government to heed their calls to “truly show its recognition” of teachers’ valuable contributions to nation-building.
Among ACT’s demands are a substantial salary increase for teachers and education workers, doubling the education budget to meet UN standards of at least six percent of GDP; scrapping the MATATAG curriculum, which they argue imposes excessive workloads on teachers; funding for teachers’ benefits; and stopping the “attacks” on teachers and schools.
RELATED STORY:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/28/group-demands-immediate-halt-of-dep-ed-s-matatag-curriculum-find-out-why