DepEd execs hold dialogue with teachers

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) held a dialogue with public school teachers amid their appeals to reduce the 6-hour teaching policy under the Matatag curriculum.

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said the dialogue was held last week, where they discussed with DepEd undersecretaries Gina Gonong, Willy Cabral, Revsee Escobedo and Assistant Secretary Malcom Garma the options that schools could pursue in adjusting allotted time for each subject to lower the teaching load of each teacher.

TDC said the National Math Program and National Reading Program would be absorbed in a separate program from the traditional week-long curriculum to unburden teachers.

“While there is no clear policy yet, the programs will be optional,” TDC said in Filipino.

DepEd also plans to release policies to unburden kindergarten teachers who have to teach six hours and handle two classes as adviser. TDC said DepEd should allow these teachers to receive overtime pay.

Meanwhile, TDC said it asserted the need to stop requiring teachers to satisfy the six-hour teaching policy.

“The provisions of DepEd Order No. 5 or regarding the working hours were not discussed much.  TDC still insists that 6 hours of actual classroom teaching should not be required,” it added.

The order contains guidelines for the teaching overload pay and six-hour teaching policy, which the TDC earlier said needs to be shortened as it overworks teachers. DepEd order No. 5 also serves as the working hour policy under the Matatag Curriculum.

During an appearance at the Senate last month, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the DepEd would consider amending the contentious policies on working hours and the Matatag curriculum.

“In the end, the TDC leaders reminded of the government's obligation to provide sufficient number of teachers and other staff to properly implement the policies,” TDC said.

“Although there is still much to be done in DO 5 and DO 10, it can be said that an open dialogue between DepEd and teachers' organizations and principals is a good step forward,” it added.

Apart from TDC, the meeting was attended by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, the DepEd Teachers Union, the National Association of Public Secondary School Heads, Inc. and the Philippine Elementary School Principals Association. —/FPL (FREEMAN)