Teachers’ concerns not yet addressed – Robredo

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has failed to address the concerns of many teachers on the implementation of blended learning this school year despite the delay in the opening of classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vice President Leni Robredo said yesterday.

“There are still a lot of problems,” Robredo said on her weekly radio program on the eve of the opening of classes in public elementary and high schools in the country. “One of the biggest problems on the part of the teachers is really the modular instruction and online instruction.”

School opening was originally scheduled on Aug. 24, but was moved to Oct. 5 to prepare teachers for the new system amid the pandemic.

Robredo said while online teaching is more reasonable and environment-friendly, many students have no gadgets and teachers are still undergoing training.

She said modular instruction, which will be implemented in most areas in the country, is more expensive.

“It’s right to push through with the opening of classes, we cannot delay the education of the children. But there is a more efficient way to do this,” Robredo said.

The Vice President maintained DepEd could implement face-to-face classes in over 400 local government units without local transmission of COVID-19.

She said classes can be conducted twice a week, with limited number of students, and teachers focusing on core competencies “like reading, math and science.”

The opening of classes in public schools today coincides with World Teachers’ Day, however as one group noted, the failure to grant a minimum P2,000 internet allowance, among other items, will keep public school teachers unhappy and unappreciated, if not downright disrespected during this day’s celebration.

“On this very day, Oct. 5, the Filipino nation joins the world in celebrating World Teachers’ Day. Indeed, it is the culminating event of the country’s National Teachers’ Month. One whole month, dedicated to honoring our children’s educators, ‘second parents’ as we call them,” the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), a federation of public school teachers’ associations nationwide, said in a statement issued yesterday.

“What travesty! Our teachers are being honored as ‘heroes,’ but are treated with little to no respect and consideration,” the group said.  – Rainier Allan Ronda, Paolo Romero, Pia Lee-Brago