Dalawang Buwang School Break, Hiniling ng TDC

 DALAWANG BUWANG SCHOOL BREAK, HINILING BAGO ANG PAGBUBUKAS NG KLASE

 

Hiniling ng Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) kay Vice President at DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte ang dalawang buwang bakasyon ng mga guro sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa bansa. Alinsunod ito sa karapatan ng mga guro na makapagpahinga sa loob ng isang taong pagtuturo.

Sa inilabas kasi na memorandum ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon nitong Hulyo, ang School Calendar and Activities school year 2022-2023, magsisimula ang klase sa August 22, 2022 habang Hulyo 1, 2022 naman nagtapos ang nakalipas na taunang kalendaryo ng klase. Ilang linggo na matapos ang pagtatapos ng nakaraang school year hindi pa tapos ang mga guro sa mga activities na pinapagawa ng school. Hindi pa nga talaga nakakapahinga ang mga guro dahil sa yearend reports at iba pang hinihingi ng paaralan pero nakaplantsa na agad ang susunod na gagawin kahit hindi pa tuluyang nalalasap ng mga guro ang totoong pahinga o bakasyon.

Ayon kay TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas, sasabak na naman sa iba't ibang trabaho ang mga guro bago hanggang pumasok ang Agosto tulad ng Enhancement/Enrichment at remedial classes, In-Service trainings, Brigada-Eskwela, Enrolment Activities. Aniya, mula't simula ay entitled naman talaga ang mga guro sa dalawang buwang bakasyon upang magkarooon ng sapat na pahinga, pisikal, emosyonal, mental na pahinga ng mga guro. Hindi naman kasi entitled ang mga guro ng sick at vacation leave gaya ng mayroon ang ibang mga empleyado sa pamahalaan.

Kasunod nito, nanawagan rin ang grupo sa Kalihim na magkaroon ng konsiderasyon sa pagbubukas ng klase para magkaroon ng sapat na oras upang makapaghanda ang mga guro para sa susunod na pagbubukas ng taunang klase. Hiniling rin sa kalihim na magkaroon ng diyalogo sa pagitan niya at organisasyon ng mga guro upang mapakinggan ng personal ng kalihim ang mga hinaing ng mga guro.

Kaugnay nito, nagpaunlak ng panayam sa media si Duterte upang linawin ang school calendar na inilabas ng kanyang ahensya. Aprubado umano ng Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ang pagbubukas ng klase. Aniya, hanggang Oktubre nalang pinapahintulutang ipatupad ang blended at distance learning sa mga pampubliko at pampribadong paaralan sa bansa dahil ipapatupad na sa Nobyembre ang face to face classes. Bukas din umano ang Kalihim sa pakikipagdiyalogo sa mga organisasyon ng mga guro.

 

-END-

CURRICULUM GUIDE: ARALING PANLIPUNAN

http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/page/2017/AP%20CG!.pdf

SCHOOL CALENDAR: SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019

http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/order/2018/DO_s2018_025_0.pdf

TDC Rejoinders to Sec. BRIONES

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition
“Unity of Teachers to Regain the Dignity of Teaching Profession”
SEC Registration Number: CN 2007-10645
Diam cor. Gen. T. De Leon, Valenzuela City
Telefax (02)4446564 • Mobile: 0916-6126739
Email: teachersdignity@yahoo.com.ph • Website: http://www.teachersdignity.com/


MEDIA RELEASE
October 24, 2017

   TDC’s Rejoinder to Sec. Briones*

*Sec. Leonor Magtolis-Briones’ reaction on the earlier statements from TDC and other groups on the matter of the abrupt deductions made by the DepEd in their salaries was published in a news report from the Manila Bulletin, October 24, 2017 quoting her in a forum with press people, Kapihan sa Manila, October 23

SLMB: “Teachers, themselves, know that they are over borrowing and they know that they’re at their limits and that the only reason they get P4,000 net is the GSIS loans are not being deducted,” Briones, Professor Emeritus, National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines, explained.

TDC: If a teacher reached the limits, then why the DepEd thru the respective Authorized Approving Officers (AAO) of the field offices allowed and approved the loan application? The pay slip of a loan applicant will be assessed and the AAO will determine if the teacher or any borrower has the capacity to pay the loan amortization. That means if the monthly salary of a teacher will be reduced to less than the mandated NTHP, then it should not be approved. The DepEd thru its RPSUs are tasked to collect the monthly loan amortization for the GSIS and for other PLIs, then they are at fault of the collections were not made.

Clearly it is a violation of the DepEd’s own rulesstipulated in DepEd Order No. 38 itself:
“The DepEd Authorized Approving Officers (AAOs) must be stringent in certifying or providing confirmation with the GSIS on the NTHP of their DepEd personnel.  The AAOs shall educate the DepEd personnel on the consequences of applying for loans with various private lending institutions (PLIs) without considering their capacity to pay.  Every day of delay on payment of loans shall mean imposition of penalties and accrued interests by the PLIs and the GSIS.
The role of the AAO for GSIS loans is to provide confirmation that DepEd borrowers have sufficient NTHP before their respective loans are granted by the GSIS”
SLMB: Contrary to TDC’s claims, Briones said teachers are informed way before collection. ”The circular is widely circulated and for both PLIs and GSIS, they have authorized DepEd to allow the deductions,” she said.

TDC: The DepEd Order No. 38 released in July 31 of this year, while circulated on the widely was never explained to the us. The Order is loaded with technicalities- both terms and procedures.

SLMB: GSIS, Briones bared is “complaining and are threatening to sue us and the teachers” if the unpaid amount of loans are not settled. “This is a challenge that we need to solve because we will be held liable,” she explained.
To date, Briones said DepEd has about 23,000 teachers that are about to retire and will not get any amount after because their GSIS loans are not being deducted. “Teachers don’t realize that these interest rates are being compounded,” Briones noted.

TDC: Again, the Secretary should ask herself, who is to blame? Teachers are tasked to teach but those who have loans in the GSIS have obligation to pay and that payment should be made by the DepEd, the agency of teachers tasked to collect money and remit the same to the GSIS. Why should teachers be penalized?
SLMB: For Briones, the best long-term solution to teachers’ over-borrowing is teaching teachers financial literacy. “We really have to institute financial literacy among our teachers,” she stressed. Teachers have to “make financial choices amongst themselves…it’s not as if the Department has created this problem and they are aware of this problem,” she ended.
TDC: We recognize the need for financial literacy program and, as we have earlier stated, we are willing to cooperate with the DepEd for this objective. However, how could one manege finances if he has none? The best solution is in the Secretary herself. She is mandated by law to propose funding for the welfare provisions of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers and provide for overtime pay, free health services, study leave with pay, cost of living allowances, higher salary grade, among other benegits. Yet, the Secretary did not perform her mandated duties. Worse, she stated in several occasions that teachers are not underpaid and underappreciated. If so, we will not need to pawn our ATM cards to make ends meet. We borrow because the salaries we are getting are simply not enough for a decent living.

We hope the Secretary will join us in our calls for a P10,000 across the board increase for tecahers and DepEd personnel.#
--------------------
Reference:
Benjo Basas
National Chairperson
09273356375

https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/10/24/teachers-decry-loan-deductions-from-salaries/

Wala kaming Sinahod?

ITO PO ANG SAGOT NG TDC SA ISYU NA YAN, ANG ACTUAL CONTENT NG SULAT NATIN KAY SEC. BRIONES NA NAIPADALA NGAYON LANG SA CENTRAL OFFICE:

------------------------

22 October 2017

DR. LEONOR MAGTOLIS-BRIONES

Secretary 

Department of Education

DepEd Complex, Pasig City

 

Greetings of peace!

Madam;

We would like to bring to your attention the urgent issue in the field in relation to the deductions made by the Department of Education (DepEd) thru the respective Regional Payroll Services Units (RPSU) for the salary of DepEd teachers for the month of October. This, according to our initial inquiries is in accordance with the DepEd Order No. 28, s. 2017 (Further Clarifications to DepEd Order Nos. 12 and 27, S. 2017 - Implementation of P4,000.00 Net Take Home Pay for Department of Education Personnel), which is based on Sec. 47 of the General Provisions of General Appropriations Act of 2017. Many teachers were shocked upon learning that the salaries they received for this month were below the net take-home pay of P4, 000.00, some received only P600 pesos. 

Madam, it is unimaginable that a teachers’ family will be able to live on a P600.00 budget for a month. While we recognize that teachers, or any borrower at that, have their obligations to the lending institutions, it is also clear in the rules that the DepEd is duty bound to ensure that teachers are eligible for the loans. Furthermore, the DepEd, thru the respective RPSUs has the obligation to effect the deductions for loan amortization as stipulated in the loan forms and even in the agreement of the DepEd with the private lending institutions (PLIs).  As to the public loan facilities under GSIS or HMDF or even DepEd Provident Fund, it is expected that the deductions for these shall be prioritized by the DepEd. Yet in many cases, deductions for PLIs were made ahead of the GSIS deductions, which is a violation of rules. Clearly these violations resulted to the present dilemma where teachers are deeply fallen in debt because of the compounded interests charged against them both by the PLIs and government loan facilities. 

Teachers have nothing to do with the implementation of these policies and they should not be penalized for others’ fault. This recent deliberate deductions below the NTHP is another big blow to the teachers and their families who are highly dependent on their minimum take-home pay of P4, 000.00 for a month of living. Given this situation, teachers will now look for alternatives to make ends meet, one of them obviously is again to plead to loan sharks which will perpetuate and worsen their already dismal economic situation. 

Madam, we recognize that there is a problem on the mindset of most of our employees in relation with financial management, but we also believe that this abrupt and unforeseen solution of the DepEd creates more problems than solution. May we appeal for your consideration to immediately suspend the implementation of the DepEd Order No. 38, s. 2017 and initiate the widest consultation possible so that we will all be able to discuss the situation in the field and come up with a better solution.

Finally, we are very much willing to collaborate with the DepEd management to promote and strengthen financial literacy for our employees.  But most of all, please be one with us in our struggle for a better compensation package specifically the P10, 000 across the board increase in the salaries of teachers and DepEd employees. 

  

Thank you very much! 

Respectfully yours, 

BENJO G. BASAS

National Chairperson

ULAP - Ulat sa Araling Panlipunan

INTRODUCTION / RATIONALE / OBJECTIVES

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ENHANCE BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM OR K-12 AIMS TO FETCH STUDENTS NOWADAYS TO GLOBAL COMPETITION. STUDENTS NEED TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND COMPETITIVE IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC, LIFE, VALUES, AND LIFE LONG LEARNING. THUS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROMOTES DIFFERENT PROGRAMS IN SUPPORT OF THIS IMPLEMENTATION. BUT THE BASIC PROBLEMS IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ARE TOTALLY ALARMING SINCE THE VICTIMS ARE THE LEARNERS AND THREATS ARE IN THE QUALITY LEARNING.

MANY EDUCATORS ARE WORRYING TO THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF NON READERS FROM ELEMENTARY TO SECONDARY BASIC EDUCATION. MANY STUDENTS CANNOT READ AND WRITE INDEPENDENTLY DUE TO DETRACTORS SUCH AS CELLPHONE, COMPUTERS/INTERNET, TELEVISION, FRATS, COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS, AND EVEN THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS OR FAMILY PROBLEMS.

LIKEWISE, BASIC PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS SUCH AS ROOMS / FACILITIES, TEACHERS, LEARNING MATERIALS AND POLICIES ARE STILL THE MAJOR PROBLEMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION. ERRONEOUS AND LACK OF BOOKS ARE STILL A BIG BURDEN TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ESPECIALLY IN ARALING PANLIPUNAN - A SUBJECT THAT CATERS ALL SUBJECTS, KNOWLEDGE INVESTMENT, BANK OF STORIES, AND MANY OTHERS. THE INTRODUCTION OF INTERACTIVE READING MATERIAL IS A BIG HELP TO TEACHERS AND STUDENT - THE UL-AP.

THE UL-AP OR ULAT SA ARALING PANLIPUNAN IS THE FIRST EVER INTERACTIVE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR ARALING PANLIPUNAN STUDENTS OF MANUEL LUIS QUEZON HIGH SCHOOL. IT COMPOSED OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES LOCAL AND ABROAD, INTELLECTUAL OPINIONS, NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS, LESSON OR LECTURE ACCORDING TO GRADE LEVEL, COMICS FOR ENTERTAINMENT, AND ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO GRADE LEVEL.

BOTH AP TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF MLQHS WILL COOPERATE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER TO MAKE THIS INTERACTIVE NEWS MAGAZINE DONE AND FUNCTIONAL TO STUDENTS.

THE PRIMARY PURPOSES OF THE UL-AP ARE THE FOLLOWING:

A. IT WOULD USE AS THEIR TOOL FOR READING MATERIAL IN ADDITION TO THEIR INCOMPLETE MANUALS.

B. IT CAN BE USED AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR ACTIVITIES THAT THEIR MANUAL CANNOT FIT IN

C. INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE CONTENTS OPINIONS, CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS, LESSON OR LECTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, AND ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO THEIR GRADE LEVEL AND CAN GIVE STUDENTS OPTIONS TO WIDEN THEIR KNOWLEDGE NOT ONLY IN THIS SOCIETY BUT ALSO TO THE WIDE HORIZON OF THE WORLD.

D. IT CORRESPONDS TO THE BASIC ISSUES AND CONCERN IN THEIR MANUAL IN TERMS OF CONTENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT SOMETIMES ARE NOT FIT TO STUDENTS CAPABILITIES.

E. IT WORKS AS THEIR GUIDE TO THE CURRENT EVENTS THAT THEIR MANUAL CANNOT PROVIDE ON TIME OF WHICH THE SOCIAL STUDIES MEANT SO.

F. IT WILL WORK AS STAMINA FOR ARALING PANLIPUNAN STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN THEIR SUBJECT.

G. IT WOULD PRODUCE COMPETITIVE STUDENTS OF THE SCHOOL.

Teachers are Underpaid and Underappreciated

YES MADAM SECRETARY,
TEACHERS ARE UNDERPAID AND UNDERAPPRECIATED
(In response to Secretary Briones’ statement)

Madam Secretary, with due respect, you got the wrong perception.

Yes, public school teachers are underpaid and underappreciated and you cannot just cite the 'migration' of private school teachers to public school system to prove your theory. The type of private schools that you are talking about are mostly violating the labor laws by giving their teachers heavy workloads yet very low salaries and almost no chance for job security, which of course, worse than the situation in public schools.

The entry-level basic salary is only P19, 600 subject to mandatory deductions. Allowances on top of it are also being paid to all government workers, not exclusively for teacher. We seem to have 'two month-paid summer vacation leave' but most of the time, these days are also consumed for our school tasks- closing activities in April and preparation for school opening in May. And may we remind you that unlike all other civil servants, teachers are teachers 24/7, the work does not stop when the bell rang. We take our tasks home, beyond 6 or 8 hours. And again, unlike other government workers, we are not entitled to sick or vacation leave. The two month-vacation myth is not even a salary, it is called proportional vacation pay and will be reduced every time we failed to report to work any day from June 1 to March 30, even for a valid reason of health.

The still unaccounted missing teachers in Marawi and the trauma that our colleagues have experienced in Pigkawayan are but a few examples that teachers, like soldiers, policemen and nurses are also in the frontlines during the calamities, even in armed conflicts.

Madam secretary, since the very first that you sit as the Secretary of Education, we anticipate reforms in the department and in the entire education sector. And to give you an idea, the single most important reform that you can bring is to make the lives of teachers better. No education reform initiative could reach its goals if we will not put the welfare of teachers in paramount consideration.

Yes madam, we, your public school teachers are underpaid and underappreciated.

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC)
June 22, 2017

_________
Reference:
Benjo Basas

Sec. Leonor Briones on her 100th day as Educ Chief

Briones presents DepEd’s accomplishments, agenda beyond the first 100 days

PASIG CITY, October 21, 2016 – Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones marked her 100th day as Education chief by iterating the Department’s 10-point agenda before more than 190 education stakeholders and partners on Oct. 14, and to the DepEd Central Office employees and some regional and division heads on Oct. 17. 

Laying out the priorities

Addressing the Central Office personnel during a general assembly on Monday, Briones presented an update on her administration’s first 100 days. She also laid out a 10-point agenda, emphasizing how this is based on her team’s vision and the priorities of the Duterte administration.

However, Briones was quick to assure continuity of the key programs of the previous administration.

“Hindi dahil bago ang Secretary o dahil bago ang administrasyon, ay bago na ang lahat. Kailangan may continuity. Kung anuman ang ginagawa natin ngayon, it builds on the past and present programs,” Briones said.

The Secretary also acknowledged the basic challenges of the Department, such as raising the quality of education, making education accesible and relevant to the urgent needs and opportunities of the country, and making education truly liberating.

What the Department has done so far

1. Confronted the inherited problem of budget underutilization and spending backlogs

As the country’s biggest bureaucracy with the biggest budget allocation, Secretary Briones explained the need for an efficient organization to help in the delivery of basic education.

DepEd promptly convened a mid-year review of Project Procurement Management Plans (PPMPs) to catch-up on procurement especially of big-ticket items, explored inter-agency mechanisms in obligating allocations for hard-to-move items in the 2015 budget, and constituted an Education Program Delivery Unit to ensure effective, efficient and timely execution of programs, projects, and activities.

2. Responded to the President’s education directives

In response to the marching order of the President, DepEd is strengthening the preventive drug education component in Science and Health by providing real-life lessons and alternative learning methods to make the delivery much more realistic and effective, starting Grade 4. Gender and development component of school curricula, especially in relation to sex education and teenage pregnancy, and environmental awareness and disaster preparedness, are being reinforced.

Aside from enhancing drug education, expanding the reach of ALS is another DepEd program that has President Duterte’s expressed support.

DepEd is working double-time to revive and expand the coverage of ALS. Alternative learning methods are also being developed for learners in hard-to-reach mountain regions and small islands, as well as densely populated areas.

3. Committed to the full implementation of the K to 12

Secretary Briones reiterated that the continuation of the K to 12 program is not to please the international market nor to cater to the private sector, but to serve the interest of the Filipinos and the country.

The anticipated large number of drop-outs and massive displacement of teachers did not occur. There are more than 1.5 million Grade 11 enrollees and more than 36,000 teacher items were created for Senior High School (SHS).

4. Defended the President’s budget in Congress

The launch of SHS demands even more resources. To support the curriculum needs, provision of additional basic resources is underway: P15.5 billion will be allotted to hiring 53,831 teachers, P3 billion for 55.8 million learning materials, P4.5 billion 8,833 science and math equipment packages, and P7.3 billion for 7,260 TechVoc tools and equipment packages.

On October 19, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the 2017 General Appropriations Act (GAA) that will provide P3.35 trillion national budget to finance government operations in 2017. P567.5 billion is allotted to DepEd, the biggest budget allocation among all government agencies.

Reforms for the long term

1. DepEd identified procurement and management system as major roadblocks. To address these, DepEd introduced greater leadership supervision over Finance and Administration: two Undersecretaries for Finance were appointed–one in charge of the expenditure to make sure money flows and is accounted for, and another to manage budget utilization.

2. DepEd has also met with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary to reconstitute the Joint Technical Working Group on the Basic Education Facilities and target prompt execution of school buildings construction under the 2017 budget.

3. DepEd is also establishing an Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) to track the status of the Department's budget releases and disbursements in real time.

Changes in the current planning templates will be introduced to address inflexibility in costing standards and delays in field validation of planned projects.

“No organization can succeed without an appropriate financial management system which will be used to fund our dreams, promises, and programs,” she added.

4. In a move to support the campaign against the proliferation of illegal drug use, DepEd convened with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to form a Working Group that will forge a common legal position on drug testing for students and personnel among DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and Technicial Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and implement the comprehensive drug testing initiative in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH).

5. One education intervention to help keep schoolchildren in school until completion of basic education is the continuation of school-based feeding programs. The proposal to have the massive feeding program will be reviewed amid budget implications. 

6. Briones stressed that to be part of DepEd, excellent education credentials are but the minimum qualification. Employees should strive to be more capacitated and informed on the state of education and the needs of the country. Therefore, the agency will introduce curricular and non-curricular programs, and undertake institutional capacity building to be responsive to the aspirations and urgent needs of the nation.

Improvement of the capacity of teachers, education leaders, and DepEd personnel includes the strengthening of DepEd Regional Offices’ capacity in managing and hosting training programs, and the training on curriculum for teachers and ALS facilitators.

7. Secretary Briones emphasized the importance of integrating, reflecting, and expressing the Philippines’ rich historical experiences in the educational system. She acknowledged the challenges to move away from data and technology to innovation, creativity, critical thinking, and acceptance of and adjustment to changes.

During the 6th APEC Education Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Peru, Briones said that while Science and Technology is also being offered to students as early as Grade 3 and 4, DepEd is loyal not only to the culture and arts but also to Philippine history and the directions of the development program.

8. DepEd is eyeing the expansion of the scope of academic and non-academic employee welfare through the improvement of the provident fund.

9. Department leadership will be active, transparent, consultative, collaborative, and corruption-free. A regular general assembly with the employees will be held to update on the development in the agency. There will be briefings by each Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries with directors on current programs.

10. Amid concerns and debates, Secretary Briones maintained that the Department will continue partnerships with the private sector.

http://www.deped.gov.ph/press-releases/briones-presents-deped%E2%80%99s-accomplishments-agenda-beyond-first-100-days

Computation of Summative Assessment for K-12

Computation of Summative Assessment for Grades 11 and 12:

In a grading period, there is only one Quarterly Assessment but several instances that a learner should produce Written Work and demonstrate what they've learned through various Performance Tasks.

Computation of Summative Assessment for Grades 1 to 12:

In a grading period, there is only one Quarterly Assessment but several instances that a learner should produce Written Work and demonstrate what they've learned through various Performance Tasks.

Computation of Summative Assessment for Grades 1 to 12

In a grading period, there is only one Quarterly Assessment but several instances that a learner should produce Written Work and demonstrate what they've learned through various Performance Tasks.

How is your MOOE?