DepEd moves to minimize displacement of teachers due to K-12

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) is working closely with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and other concerned agencies to minimize the number of college professors who may be displaced once the mandatory two extra years of high school begin in 2016, officials said yesterday.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said private higher education institutions (HEIs) have two more years to prepare and plan for the full implementation of the K to 12 program.

“If HEIs work together with DepEd, I believe we can bring down the number of affected faculty and mitigate the negative impact of the K to 12 implementation,” Luistro said in a text message to The STAR.

He issued the statement after the Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities expressed concern that more than 85,000 faculty members may lose their jobs when the mandatory implementation of senior high school (Grades 11 and 12) starts.

Meanwhile, Labor Undersecretary Rebecca Chato yesterday said the K to 12 curriculum is unlikely to cause mass retrenchment of teachers and other employees in both public and private schools.

“Some sectors have expressed concern that the K to12 curriculum would create a gap or a time when there will be no students entering college, but in the discussions we have conducted, it is impossible to happen,” Chato said.

The Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) earlier issued a resolution calling on DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to ensure workers’ rights in line with the implementation of the K to 12 program.

Under the new curriculum, a student will be required to undergo kindergarten, six years of elementary, four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school.

The DepEd will implement the Grade 11 curriculum starting school year 2016-2017 and Grade 12 in school year 2017-2018.

There were reports that some private universities have announced plans to enforce mandatory separation program with the expected decline in enrollment in 2016.

Labor officials advised those who will be retrenched due to K to 12 curriculum to report their cases to the DOLE.

Disaster-resilient school buildings

Meanwhile, the DepEd was urged yesterday to draw up a new master plan for the construction of school buildings in Metro Manila and other urban areas amid the shortage of land on which to put up extra classrooms.

“In many cities throughout the National Capital Region and other metropolitan districts, public elementary and high schools can no longer expand horizontally on account of the lack of open spaces,” Deputy Minority Leader Arnel Ty said.

He said the DepEd should push for disaster-resilient three and four-story classrooms, instead of  one- and two-level structures. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Jess Diaz