ACT CALLS DEPED TO GIVE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO REMEDIAL CLASSES TEACHERS

 ACT TO DEPED: GIVE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO REMEDIAL CLASSES TEACHERS

"Additional compensation or at least service credits should be given by the Department of Education to teachers that would teach in remedial classes for students who did not pass some of their subjects," said Raymond Basilio, Secretary General of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines.

The progressive teachers' group delivered the call as the Department of Education issued DepEd Order No. 25, s. 2022, or the Amendment to DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2018, titled "Implementing Guidelines on the Conduct of Remedial and Advancement Classes During Summer for the K to 12 Basic Education Program".

"The new guidelines set the passing grade at 80 from the previous 75 for Grades 1 to 11. Learners who got a grade of 75 to 79 on one subject will attend enrichment classes, while those who have failing grades on two subjects will attend remedial classes, both happening during the school break. However, it has no provisions for compensation nor service credits for teachers who will be rendering 15 extra working days for these special classes,” said Basilio.

The DepEd order purportedly aims to assist in addressing the “learning gaps brought primarily by the abrupt pedagogical shift due to pandemic.”

"Our teachers are all for addressing the learning crisis and raising education quality, but this noble cause should not be used as a ticket to violate the labor rights of our teachers. Essentially, this is tantamount to punishing our teachers and making them solely accountable for the learning gaps when so many factors are contributory to the education crisis, most of which fall under the government’s responsibility. The least the government can do is to justly compensate teachers who are going the extra mile to help our learners” opined Basilio. 

"Inaagaw na naman ng DepEd ang bakasyon ng mga guro, at pagtatrabahuhin na naman sila nang libre. Hindi pa nga nila nabayaran ang 77 araw na overtime ng mga guro sa nakaraang school year pero heto na naman at para silang may mga alila," he added.

Basilio urged DepEd to understand that “depriving teachers of the much-needed rest between school years takes a heavy toll not only on their health and capacities but to the over-all delivery of quality education as well.”

“With this situation, it cannot be helped that some teachers may just opt to pass students so as to avoid teaching in uncompensated enrichment or remedial classes, thus rendering the measure essentially useless. If only the DepEd is willing to take its share of the responsibility, we can have a better chance at battling the learning crisis,” he expressed. 

"Ano ba ang ikinatatakot ng DepEd sa pagbabayad ng karampatang kompensasyon ng mga guro? Iniisip ba nilang baka abusuhin ito na magbabagsak ang mga guro ng mga estudyante para lamang may makuhang dagdag na kompensasyon sa remedial classes? This is unlikely to happen as our teachers yearn to have that period of rest after ten months of continuous teaching, and recharge for the next school year. More importantly, our teachers have proven many times over their commitment to our learners as they embrace their vocation despite low salaries and constant need to fill in the shortcomings of the government in education. Remedial classes and commitment to quality education is a sacrifice that they have to make, it is only just that these be properly compensated," ended Basilio.

Source: ACT NCR UNION FB