SUCs need 17,057 teaching staff

MANILA, Philippines - More full-time faculty are needed in state universities and colleges, according to a lawmaker.

Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo has asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to create more positions for full-time faculty in state universities and colleges so they can meet their 17,057 teaching staff shortage, improve their performance and delivery of quality education, and become globally competitive.

The estimated shortage of 17,057 faculty in state universities and colleges is based on the 2014 survey of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), he added.

The House of Representatives committee on higher and technical education chairman said PASUC has estimated that the creation of more faculty positions in state universities and colleges will require funding of approximately P5.5 billion.

The DBM has not given additional positions to state universities and colleges for the last 15 years, he said, quoting the PACU report.

Romulo said Presidential Decree 985, the Budgetary Reform Decree on Compensation and Position Classification issued on Aug. 22, 1976, is reportedly still being used as basis for the present roster of faculty positions in state universities and colleges.

“The quality of state universities and colleges is defined mainly by the quality of their faculty,” he said.

“Most state universities and colleges have a faculty-to-student ratio of 1:42 which is higher than the standard faculty-to-student ratio of 1:25.” 

Romulo has sought the creation of additional positions for full-time   faculty in state universities and colleges through House Resolution 1659 now pending at the House committee on appropriations chaired by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab.

Romulo said the shortage of positions has compelled the faculty in state universities and colleges to devote most of their time and attention to instruction, to the detriment of research and extension programs.

In Cagayan Valley alone, 95.60 percent of the 1,911 college faculty are involved in higher education programs, 28 or 1.47 percent are involved in both advanced higher education and extension, and less than one percent are involved in research and auxiliary services, he added.

Romulo said faculty members are given administrative positions to   manage university affairs, along with academic, extension, research and production programs. 

“There is a need to revisit the plantilla of state universities and colleges faculty and reduce their workload from 21 to 18 units or even lower, not only to ensure quality instructional delivery services, but also to enable them to give the necessary attention to research and extension and keep pace with the demands of the 21st century,” he said.

Romulo said another negative effect of the lack of full-time plantilla positions is that some professors in state universities and colleges switched to other careers or left for work abroad.

The existing roster of faculty can no longer cater to the increasing enrollment, and state universities and colleges have been compelled to hire additional faculty through contracts, job orders and emergency instructors on a part-time basis, he added.

Romulo said the PASUC reported that the number of part-time faculty in state universities and colleges handling 255,850 units is now estimated at 184,782.

Romulo said based on the DBM’s National Expenditure Program last year, 56,899 positions for faculty have been filled in state universities and colleges.

Reports indicate 31,739 full-time faculty are employed as against 16,674 part-time, he added.