Teachers' group appeals to DepEd to extend school break

The Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) on Sunday said they appealed to the Department of Education (DepEd) to extend the school break and grant teachers more time to prepare for the resumption of classes on August 22.

In a radio interview, TDC national chairman Benjo Basas said they had a virtual meeting with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte last week during which they expressed their concerns. He said they submitted the necessary documents for their petition.

“Meron kaming pending pa na kahilingan sa ating Department of Education to extend the school break para makapaghanda pa rin at ma-provide ‘yung sinasabi ng mga existing rules na makapagpahinga ‘yung mga guro natin ng at least sa [summer] vacation o school break supposedly meron kaming dalawang buwan,” he said.

(We still have a pending request from DepEd to extend the school break so that we can still prepare and rest throughout the summer vacation or school break for at least two months, based on the existing rules.)

“Last week, nagkaroon po kami ng pagkakataon para makausap ang ating Vice President, although Zoom meeting po ‘yan, at ito ang una naming issue. Sabi niya naman noong Tuesday, I think, hindi na ito pwede pero humingi po siya ng mga documents sa amin, na nai-provide naman po namin,” he added.

(Last week, we had the opportunity to talk to our Vice President, although it was a Zoom meeting, and this was the first issue discussed. She said on Tuesday that it was no longer possible, but she asked us for documents, which we provided.)

Duterte earlier stressed that the start of School Year 2022–2023 on August 22 was final, amid calls for its postponement.

She said that the combined in-person classes and distance learning would be implemented from August to October, while the five-day face-to-face classes would start in November.

TDC previously urged Duterte to move the resumption of classes to mid-September or the first week of October, saying there was still a significant amount of preparations to be made for the resumption of in-person classes.

Basas said they would be filing a rejoinder on their appeal on Monday morning to convince Duterte to allow them the 60-day vacation. He, however, mentioned that a DepEd lawyer provided a legal opinion that they were not entitled to such.

Basas said it would be “dangerous” for the DepEd not to recognize the rights of the educators as this may become normal in the future.

“Napaka-delikado nito na kapag naging ganito ang maging normal for the Department of Education na hindi kikilalanin ‘yung karapatan ng mga guro, aba’y baka ito ang maging practice in the future,” he said.

(It is very dangerous because if it becomes normal for the DepEd not to recognize the rights of teachers, this may become the practice in the future.)

DepEd earlier announced that the School Year 2022-2023 will open on August 22 and will end on July 7, 2023. — DVM, GMA News