DOLE seeks P20-B fund for teachers affected by K to 12

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is seeking almost P20 billion in assistance fund for the thousands of teachers and school personnel who will be retrenched due to the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program.

Dominique Tutay, director of the Bureau of Local and Employment of DOLE, said the agency asked Congress for P19.44 billion for the Tertiary Transition Sector Fund (TESTF), which would be used to cushion the negative impacts of the K to 12 program among teachers and non-teaching personnel.

Labor officials noted that while the K to 12 program is essential for the country to be at par with international education standards, the transition would mean a two-year gap of college enrollees starting 2016.

There are 86,001 faculty members in private higher education institutions and 47,469 of them are full-time while 37,683 are part-time teachers.

“For school year 2016-2017 and school year 2017-2018, half of the 47,469 or more or less 24,000 full-time faculty members who are teaching first year and second year college may be retrenched due to foregone enrollment,” Tutay bared.

“A full-time faculty member receives a monthly salary of P30,000 and the proposed TESTF intends to extend financial assistance to retrenched faculty members for a period of two years. Hence, the proposed P17.28-billion budget,” she explained.