THE COUNTRY starts its celebration of the National Teachers Month per Proclamation No. 242, series of 2011. Our state of education is best reflected on the conditions of our teachers as they bear all the problems of the education system. For education to recover from the learning crisis, uplifting the conditions of our teachers is core and essential.
The situation of our teachers has never been harder than today, with their salaries long left behind by those of other professionals, their workload getting heavier by the day sans additional compensation, and them receiving very scant support from the government for their teaching needs. Their situation of being overworked, underpaid and undersupported is a major roadblock to education recovery.
Our teachers are the lifeline of our education but they themselves are on the verge of breaking down. Their salaries cannot amply support their families while they are also forced to spend out-of-pocket for their teaching and classroom needs. They have been denied of their right to ample rest with the DepEd’s incessant overtime work demands, and their teaching and non-teaching workload this school year is really excessive. If the government wants the learning gaps to be addressed, it needs to alleviate teachers from this terrible situation.
Key to all of this is adequate education funding and a clear and concrete plan for the recovery of education. The meager increase in DepEd’s proposed 2023 budget will not be enough to fill the shortages in teachers, staff, classrooms and equipment. Both teachers and students are confused as to how to conduct classes to catch up on learning gaps due to the lack of a clear and scientific plan.
Thus we take advantage of the National Teachers Month, up to the celebration of the World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 5, to assert to the government the teachers’ urgent demands. Mr. President, you have promised during your electoral campaign that you will take care of the welfare of teachers and of education. We are close to the end of your first 100 days in office, we urge you to fulfil these game-changing measures for the sake of our learners.
