Editorial
July 16, 2024
The Manila Times
Rising expectations at the Department of Education
Newly appointed Secretary of Education, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, has hardly warmed his seat when several organizations had already launched missile-like wish lists for the department.
Let us calm down and please note that Senator Angara will only have four years until his term ends in 2028. Four years is not enough to solve the gargantuan problems of the DepEd.
So let us separate the chaff from the grain and see which proposals for improvement are important and doable, given the short timeline for Angara to make a dent in the department.
Teachers group Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) has listed ten “critical areas” that Angara must do as the new secretary. Although the TDC has called for the appointment of a non-politician, they said they welcome Angara’s appointment.
The group said that pushing for legislation that would increase the salaries of teachers and education support personnel must be on top of Angara’s priorities.
The TDC has been advocating for the upgrade of teachers’ entry-level salaries to Salary Grade 15, or from P36,000 to P39,000 a month. They also want a P15,000 across-the-board salary increase. Moreover, the TDC said that the new DepEd secretary must implement the welfare provisions of Republic Act 4670, or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. They also want DepEd to
provide legal support for teachers who are facing charges while on duty, and incorporate into the DepEd’s child protection policy the enforcement of discipline among the students.
Additionally, TDC hit the nail on the head when it asked Angara to adhere to DepEd Orders 2 and 5, series of 2024, which removes administrative tasks from teachers. These provisions will reduce their workload and pay them for overtime work.
Furthermore, the group also wants Angara to upgrade the teachers’ insurance benefits with the Government Service Insurance System. If this is not possible, perhaps the DepEd can “establish a separate insurance system” for them?
TDC also wants to simplify the performance rating of teachers by abolishing the Results-Based Performance Management System and provide comprehensive and free training. Another item is to fast-track the promotion system, particularly for senior high school teachers, and implement the career progression policy outlined in Executive Order 174.
Lastly, the TDC said that Angara must address the perennial shortages in the classrooms, instructional materials and support personnel, including guidance counselors, librarians, health workers and other non-academic staff. A revision of the basic education curriculum is also in order, “to align the curriculum with our socio-cultural context and reinstate Philippine history in high school.”
That is a mouthful, and what DepEd can do is divide the items in the list into short-term and long-term goals, keeping in mind that the budget, as always, is limited.
First, the DepEd can implement the wish list that is already part of the laws of the land. These include the provisions of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. These include giving legal aid to teachers facing charges while in the line of duty.
Moreover, the enforcement of discipline for students can be aligned with the provisions on Violence Against Women and Their Children. Corporal punishment is no longer allowed, and teachers should be schooled in the intricacies of positive reinforcement and verbal discipline of students.
DepEd Orders 2 and 5 should also be implemented. While not passed by Congress, such executive orders are legal and doable. They include taking administrative tasks away from teachers so they could focus on teaching, payment of their overtime fees, and reduced workload, since our teachers already teach from 40-60 students per class.
The rest of the teachers’ demands can be put in the long term, since they need either an enabling law or more funds infused into the DepEd.
It’s a long journey for educational reform, and Senator Angara needs to collaborate with everyone to put the house in order.
