VP Sara: Teachers to have 30-day straight break without volunteer work

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Tuesday vowed that teachers will not be given any volunteer work during their 30-day break after School Year 2023-2024 ends.

During the National Teachers’ Month kick-off program at the Bohol Wisdom School, Duterte said the End of School Year (EOSY) rights was already included in the official school calendar.

EOSY for the current academic year is set from June 17 to August 25, 2024.

“We made sure that this year’s school calendar, teachers will have 30 straight days of rest during the break without any DepEd activity that requires volunteer work,” Duterte said.

“All activities with voluntary participation is scheduled after the said 30-day break,” she added.

Duterte said the Department of Education (DepEd) intends to release a memorandum to school heads and regional directors, urging them to answer if any teacher complains that they are being tasked to report within the 30-day break.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier approved the creation of 5,000 non-teaching positions for the DepEd schools all over the country to provide “adequate manpower and support to educators in giving quality instruction to learners.”

Broken down, the created 5,000 non-teaching positions are mostly 3,500 Administrative Officer (AO) II positions intended to relieve teachers of administrative tasks that support operations.

The remaining 1,500 are Project Development Officer (PDO) I positions, which shall complement the AO II and other non-teaching personnel in schools by facilitating the implementation of various programs, projects, and activities initiated by schools or mandated by the DepEd Central Office.

Duterte also said the DepEd is about to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to provide an exclusive lane that will handle the teachers’ concerns.

A website will also be launched soon to provide free legal assistance to teachers regarding their loan contracts.

The Education chief also said that DepEd is developing an automated system for an objective selection in the hiring and promotion of teachers.

In paying tribute to the teachers, Duterte said they are “spark of inspiration in every classroom, the guiding light of countless possibilities and better futures, and the builders of our nation’s dreams.”

“Teachers have essentially helped build our country. And teachers will always be there as we move forward with our aspirations to see a stable, secure, peaceful, and strong motherland,” she added.

This year’s National Teachers’ Month has a theme “Together4Teachers.” The month-long celebration will culminate on October 5, in time for the World Teachers’ Day. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News