DepEd: Teachers not required to teach over six hours

MANILA, Philippines — After months of clamor from teachers’ groups, the Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered schools not to force educators to teach more than six hours, as stated under the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers.

In a memorandum signed on Sept. 27, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said teachers may render additional teaching loads but should be compensated.

“Actual teaching loads in excess of six hours shall be compensated through payment of teaching overload, provided that it does not exceed two hours per day as stipulated in Republic Act 4670,” Angara noted, citing the Magna Carta for Public School teachers and DepEd Order No. 5.

He added that only “actual classroom teaching rendered” per subject and class advising duties are treated as teaching load and should be counted as part of the six-hour daily teaching load.

Under the Sept. 27 memorandum, the teaching overload pay should be the total overload hours multiplied by the prime hourly teaching rate.

This means that if the monthly basic salary of one teacher is P27,000 and they rendered 22.75 hours of teaching overload for one month, they shall be compensated with an additional P5,756.75.

Meanwhile, Angara said all teachers who have rendered six hours of actual classroom teaching would be deemed to have satisfied the daily working hours and should not be subject to salary deductions.

DO 5, which contains guidelines for the teaching overload pay and six-hour teaching under the Matatag curriculum, was opposed by teachers group as it has caused more burdens instead of easing them for overworked public school teachers.

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) earlier said it should be suspended as it has become a “legal basis to scourge” teachers under the Matatag curriculum.

While the TDC noted that DO 5 promised teaching overload pay for teachers who exceed six hours of classroom instruction, it also requires teachers to teach six hours daily, a violation of “the spirit and letter of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers.”

The group said forcing compliance with the six-hour policy could render teachers preparing multiple lessons or be assigned subjects and grade levels they are not trained to handle.

The TDC argued that the integration has led to a more congested curriculum and has forced some teachers to teach subjects like mathematics and reading, even if they are not familiar with them – a situation that further burdens both teachers and students.

The group also raised the possibility of schools declaring teacher excess and transferring them to other stations.

‘Genuine’ representation

Meanwhile, teachers and education workers should support the Makabayan senatorial lineup for a “genuine” representation of the education sector in Congress, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said over the weekend.

In a statement, the ACT threw its support behind the Makabayan slate after its national convention last Saturday.

The group said educators and school workers need to do the same to bring the education agenda to the Senate.

“The Makabayan slate represents the aspirations and demands of the Filipino people, especially those in the marginalized sectors. With our sectors truly represented in the legislative arena, we are confident that the issues plaguing our society will be brought to the table with urgency and dedication,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said.

“It is high time that the voices of majority of the Filipinos are amplified in the halls of the Senate, pushing for legislation that will uplift our nation,” Quetua added.

The Makabayan Coalition is fielding 11 senatorial bets, including ACT Teachers’ party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, transport organizer Mody Floranda, urban poor organizer Jocelyn Andamo, labor leader Jerome Adonis, former anti-poverty czar Liza Maza, former Bayan representative Teddy Casiño, fisherfolk leader Ronnel Arambulo and farmers’ group leader Danilo Ramos.

The ACT stressed the role of the education sector in the broader fight for genuine change and democracy.

“Our support for the Makabayan slate is rooted in our collective vision of a government that genuinely serves the people. Our progressive candidates, with extensive experience and life dedicated to serving the masses, are ready to bridge the gap between policy and practice,” Quetua said.

“We urge our fellow teachers, education workers and the broader public to rally behind this slate and work toward genuine change. Taumbayan naman sa Senado (People in the Senate this time! Taumbayan, ipanalo (Let us make the people win)!” he added.