BARMM gov’t to provide assistance for laid-off provisional teachers

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE-BARMM) announced Thursday it would provide over P190 million in assistance to the provisional teachers and temporary employees affected by the cease and desist order issued by the ministry in March.

In a statement, the MBHTE-BARMM said Memorandum Order No. 154 released by the ministry on March 11 states that “provisional appointment as defined in the 2019 omnibus rules on appointments and other human resource actions shall not be effective beyond the school year during which it was issued.”

MBHTE minister Mohagher Iqbal said the BARMM will allot P190,980,000 for the laid-off teachers and incoming applicants as contractual services.

Iqbal said the provisional teachers will be re-employed, if they want, with a salary of P15,000 per month and some additional P5,000 in annual funds for administrative assessment activity.

Part of the allotted budget include appropriation of P10 million for free LET review of the provisional teachers.

Iqbal said the MBHTE will request the Professional Regulation Commission to conduct a special examination for the teachers and, as approved by the office of the chief minister, will then hire them for a year as contractual services.

Iqbal added the employment for contracts for service will start on August 24, the beginning of the new school year.

“Hopefully, in one year, all of them will be able to pass the LET exam and the ministry ensures the automatic change of their status from provisional to permanent effective immediately after passing the licensure exam,” he said.

Earlier, a group of provisional public school teachers and employees held a “peaceful rally” in front of BGC, appealing to Iqbal to recall the memorandum.

These provisional teachers and employees under temporary status had their term expired and were requested to "cease and desist" from rendering their service effective last May 31, 2020, Iqbal said.

However, Iqbal said, the ministry will provide humanitarian consideration for the affected teachers and employees as there is no more legal recourse to grant them the status of permanent appointment.

The MBHTE will also give the affected teachers their last salary as well as ERAA allowance and a mid-year bonus.

Iqbal also said that the MBHTE welcomes the rally as they were exercising their constitutional rights. He added that the ministry is open to having a dialogue with its employees. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News