Addressing challenges for public school teachers

Warm applause greeted President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s declaration in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the government "will accelerate the career growth of teachers."

No public school teacher will retire with a mere Teacher I position, the President said.

President Marcos Jr. addressed the long-overlooked priority of public-school teachers' promotion and career advancement. He proposed a system that provides for a clear and structured pathway for professional growth, which is essential for maintaining a motivated and skilled teacher workforce.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has established two career lines: Classroom Teaching Career Line and School Administration Career Line.

The Classroom Teaching Career Line includes positions from Teacher I to VII and Master Teacher I to V, while the School Administration Career Line includes positions from School Principal I to IV.

Each position requires meeting minimum qualification standards as established by the Professional Regulation Commission.

The career progression for teachers is a welcome development. Public-school teachers, numbering 847,467 in 2023, have applauded the President for highlighting their plight in his SONA. However, career progression is not automatic. We must encourage teachers to work hard to advance and earn the corresponding salaries.

Promotion is performance-based. Teaching is a highly competitive profession, with thousands of teachers vying for limited positions. Therefore, regular evaluations increase the likelihood of promotion for teachers who perform well.

Teachers also need to retool themselves by attending training seminars, workshops, and further education. Many of these seminars are offered by the DepEd and other institutions.

In-service training programs aim to increase teachers’ efficiency and enhance their knowledge, experience, and skills, enabling them to better fulfill their duties and responsibilities.

Experience and tenure also play a role in career progression. More experienced teachers, who have demonstrated their capabilities over time, may advance more quickly.

Additionally, teachers who excel in teaching and other activities may receive special achievement awards, which can lead to faster promotions. Taking on additional responsibilities, such as becoming a department head or participating in school administration, can also aid in career advancement.

While career progression is a laudable effort of the administration, there is a need to increase the salaries of public-school teachers.

The Asian Labour Review in 2023 said 93.3 percent of Philippine public school teachers were in positions that received less than a livable wage, with a net take-home pay of PHP23,465.

The current basic wage for entry-level public-school teachers is around PHP27,000 a month.

Public school teachers often spend their own money on classroom materials and even provide food for their indigent students.

I laud President Marcos Jr. for signing into law the “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo” Act. It raises teachers' teaching allowance from PHP5,000 to PHP10,000, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. This amount is not subject to income tax.

The President has acknowledged that teachers have been using their own funds for classroom supplies and by enacting the teaching allowance into law, they will receive it annually.

Teachers’ groups are calling for a PHP50,000 entry-level salary. This would do justice to teachers, considering their significant sacrifices to educate Filipinos, which serves as the foundation of our nation.

Administrative tasks also hinder teachers' focus and mastery of their teaching loads. Responding to teachers' clamor, former Education secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte signed a policy removing several administrative tasks from public-school teachers, such as personnel administration, records management, feeding programs, and school disaster risk reduction and management. This policy allows teachers to focus on mastering their subjects, such as Filipino, Science, and Math.

Another burden is unnecessary paperwork from the Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) and the Performance-Based Incentive (PBI) System.

The RPMS, a yearly assessment of teachers, mainly increases paperwork without providing meaningful support or incentives for professional growth and development. It duplicates other government evaluation systems.

President Marcos has suspended the implementation of RPMS and PBI, which is a relief for teachers. Perhaps, together with newly-appointed DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, he can develop a program that strengthens teachers’ mastery of their subjects, allowing them to teach more effectively.

It is imperative to fix the educational system, with teachers at its heart. More Filipino teachers are leaving the country to teach abroad.

According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, an average of 1,500 teachers left annually from 2013 to 2017.

The United Nations reports that the world will need 44 million primary and secondary teachers by 2030. Teachers abroad receive higher pay, ranging from USD2,000 to USD6,000 per month, which attracts thousands of Filipino teachers.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.