More than 11,000 teachers to address learning gap

MANILA, Philippines — The government hired more than 11,000 teachers this year to address the learning losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had forced schools to close and shift to distance learning methods.

Citing the Department of Education (DepEd)’s yearend report, a Malacañang statement released yesterday said a total of 11,580 teachers were hired and 5,000 administrative officer items were created to unburden teachers from administrative loads.

The hiring of teachers and administrative officers was in line with the DepEd’s national learning recovery plan that aims to address learning deficiencies caused by pandemic-related disruptions. DepEd Assistant Secretary Ruby Torio has said the plan also includes extending the school calendar, establishing a learning support center in schools and community-based learning spaces, conducting summer learning remediation and intervention programs and hiring additional learning support aides.

The Palace statement said 15,331 teachers and school leaders received graduate scholarships while 17,636 were trained in early-grade language literacy this year.

A total of 161,700 teachers completed the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines subsidized teaching courses while 31,700 teachers underwent teacher induction program. The NEAP is an attached agency within DepEd that is responsible for the design, development and delivery of professional development for teachers, school leaders and other teaching-related personnel.

Full face-to-face classes were implemented in public schools last month following the easing of pandemic-induced mobility restrictions.

Internet connection

Despite the return of in-person classes, the Marcos administration vowed to continue using technology to enhance the learning experience of students in remote areas.

Marcos led the rollout of the internet for students and teachers in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas last Saturday as part of the “BroadBand ng Masa Program.”

Speaking to students and teachers, the President promised to provide internet access to all areas under the program, particularly those that have no access to mobile cellular services.

“The far-flung areas need it (internet), especially the children, for their studies. It’s good that we have new technologies we can use and we’re taking full advantage of it,” Marcos said, adding that digital technologies would significantly improve government services and help the country improve interconnectivity.

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan Uy said the program aims to build a “direct connection” between geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and the government.

“We will enhance this and we will increase the number of connections,” a Palace statement quoted Uy as saying.

Uy said the government has undertaken initiatives to enhance the country’s digital infrastructure, including the free wi-fi for all program, which established an additional 628 operational free wi-fi sites on top of the existing 4,129 sites. The government service has been accessed by at least 2.1 million unique users, equivalent to about 100,000 families provided with connectivity nationwide.