BER 2024. Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte walks up the stage as she was called to deliver the Basic Education Report (BER) 2024 held on Thursday (Jan. 25, 2024) at Sofitel Plaza Hotel in Pasay City. She cited the teachers and personnel of the Department of Education and their efforts to what the agency has accomplished. (Screenshot from RTVM livestream)
MANILA – Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte cited the teachers and personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) and their efforts to what the agency has accomplished so far during her Basic Education Report (BER) 2024 held on Thursday at Sofitel Plaza Hotel in Pasay City.
"All we have done so far was made possible by the collective efforts of the approximately 900,000-strong DepEd Team," Duterte said.
"There are no big or small roles sa ating mga guro, personnel sa central office, regional offices, school division offices, at sa ating mga paaralan. Daghang salamat kaninyong tanan (for our teachers, personnel in central office, regional offices, school division offices, and in our schools. Thank you very much to all of you)," she added.
With this, Duterte assured that Professional Development Programs for educators and school leaders, as well as training for teaching reading across grade levels will be strengthened.
She said strategic guidance to vital councils, including the Early Childhood Care and Development Council, Literacy Coordinating Council, and Teacher Education Council will be provided to foster a comprehensive approach to education governance.
To further empower educators, she said school-based training packages and session guides will also be developed to ensure that field personnel are equipped for effective curriculum implementation.
Duterte revealed that DepEd will soon issue guidelines for the Employee Welfare and Well-being Policy and establish as well a Calamity Fund that will provide immediate financial assistance to our teachers and personnel in times of disaster.
"We will also propose and fervently move for the amendment of an Administrative Order that will allow us to finally provide Health Insurance for our teachers and non-teaching personnel," Duterte said.
"We will also issue a policy on Teaching Overload Pay. We want to ensure that our teachers are rightfully compensated for hours of actual classroom teaching beyond the 6-hour limit provided under the Magna Carta for teachers," she added.
Aside from Overload Pay, DepEd will also propose to provide overtime pay to teachers and increase the cap for service credits from the current 15 days to at least 30 days.
Concerns regarding Continuing Professional Development are also being addressed with the Professional Regulation Commission so teachers will not have to absorb additional financial burdens.
After holding several consultations, Duterte announced that the department order on the Removal of Administrative Tasks for Teachers will be released on January 26 and the corresponding strand memorandum will be released a week later.
Last year, DepEd provided additional staffing complement in schools through the creation of 9,659 new teaching positions; 3,500 Administrative Officer II positions; and 1,500 Project Development Officer I positions.
The agency also purchased Personal Accident Insurance from the Government Service Insurance System for all DepEd teachers and personnel and registered them to avail of the PhilHealth Konsulta package.
The Hardship Index cut-off for the Special Hardship Allowance was also lowered to make 16,532 more teachers from 1,812 schools eligible to receive the Special Hardship Allowance.
The World Bank is also currently studying the teachers' salaries in the Philippines which will be submitted to DepEd. (PNA)
