MANILA, Philippines — Teachers group Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) has listed ten “critical areas” in the education sector that outgoing senator Sonny Angara must immediately work on as the new secretary of the Department of Education.
Angara is set to replace Vice President Sara Duterte, whose resignation as DepEd secretary will officially take effect on July 19, though the resignation was announced by Malacañang and Duterte herself last June 19.
In a statement, the TDC said that while it previously called for the appointment of a non-politician and someone with teaching background as the next DepEd secretary, it still welcomes the appointment of Angara, adding that the group is willing to work with him “to improve the agency and education sector.”
“To start, we hope that the incoming secretary engages with stakeholders, especially teachers. He will encounter significant challenges, but addressing these can lead to substantial progress in our education system,” the TDC said.
The group said pushing for the passage of 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 at least Salary Grade 15 (P36,000 to P39,000 per month) and the enactment of a P15,000 across-the-board salary increase for public school teachers.
The TDC said Angara must also ensure the strict implementation of the welfare provisions of Republic Act 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers; provision of mandatory legal support for teachers facing charges while on duty and incorporation into the DepEd’s child protection policy the enforcement of discipline among students.
Furthermore, the TDC said Angara must ensure schools’ strict adherence to DepEd Orders 2 and 5, series of 2024 removing the administrative tasks of teachers, reducing their workload and payment for overtime services.
Be the first to comment