DepEd scored for ‘forcing’ teachers without poll-related tasks to be in schools

A teachers group on Monday criticized the Department of Education (DepEd) for directing teachers to report to their respective schools from May 2 to 13, 2022 even if they do not have election-related duties.

“It is beyond ridiculous to force teachers without election duties to report on-site while schools are being prepared to serve as voting centers for the May 9 polls,” the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said in a statement.

“Even DepEd's own school calendar marked the period from May 2–13 as non-school days, and therefore should also not be considered as workdays for teachers,” it added.

DepEd earlier announced the suspension of classes in all levels in public schools from May 2 to 13 due to activities related to the elections.

The suspension of classes is contained in DepEd Order No. 29 issued on August 5, 2021.

ACT said the memorandum which requires teachers to report physically despite class suspensions adds to the “string of senseless and unnecessarily burdensome work orders” issued by DepEd in the last two years of pandemic.

“Just today, most NCR teachers were required to report on-site despite only a few number of schools being allowed to participate in DepEd's program for limited face-to-face classes – which effectively made online teaching even more difficult due to the lack of school infrastructure for such,” it pointed out.

“Of course, we can't forget how teachers were made to render services months before classes were allowed to resume in 2020, then denied up to this day due compensation for the extended 77 work days for that particular school year,” it added.

Should DepEd proceed to mandate none members of Board of Election Inspectors to report to school for the exigency of service, ACT called on the department to guarantee them 1.25 service credits and include a provision for such in the official memorandum for said extra days of work.

“We urge DepEd to review the nature of teachers' jobs and heed the many issues being raised before them, instead of hashing out senseless orders that serve no clear and justifiable purpose,” it said.

GMA News Online has reached out to DepEd for comment but has yet to reply as of posting time.—LDF, GMA News