Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
MANILA – The chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture is eyeing to file a resolution seeking an oversight review of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers to address the issues on their salaries and working conditions.
According to a statement on Friday, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said only 40 percent of the 27 provisions of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers are fulfilled, and the remaining 60 percent are either partially met or unfulfilled.
Gatchalian said one of the aims of the Magna Carta is to improve the social and economic status of teachers so there is the need to increase their salaries to close the teacher pay gap.
He cited that a Teacher I’s current monthly salary, which falls under Salary Grade (SG) 11, amounts to PHP20,754, while a Master Teacher I, which falls under SG 18, receives a monthly salary of PHP40,637.
Other provisions that need to be implemented include a six-hour work schedule and benefits such as special hardship allowance, hazard pay, annual free medical check-up and hospitalization, among others.
Gatchalian noted that not all provisions of the law require budgetary requirements to be fulfilled, such as the teachers’ working hours, which can be achieved by pushing the Department of Education to review and upgrade its policies.
“Talagang napakalaking hamon nito pagdating sa pagbibigay ng world-class teachers’ welfare program (Providing a world-class teachers’ welfare program is definitely a huge challenge),” Gatchalian said.
“Kapag sinabing world-class, hindi lang naman natin tinitingnan and sweldo pero maging ang iba pang mga pangangailangan na dapat nating naibibigay sa ating mga guro (When we say world-class, we do not only look at the salaries but also the other needs of teachers that need to be met,” Gatchalian added. (PNA)
