Transparency on COVID-19 updates from DepEd sought by teachers

A federation of teachers seek transparency and demanded officials to provide updates on COVID-19 situation involving the agency, following the reports that there are growing cases of Covid-19 among DepEd personnels.

Photo credit: mb.com.ph

ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio said,

We are calling on DepEd to divulge timely and accurate reports on COVID-19 cases among its personnel, without compromising their rights to privacy,

We have the right to know the extent of infection within our ranks, and to demand accountability where it is due.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers in Metro Manila said that it has received over 20 reports of infected teachers — 10 in Manila, six from Quezon City, five from Malabon City, and three from Navotas City.

The teachers group added that the three teachers in Quezon city and Navotas were fatally affected by the virus.

ACT also documented two positive cases in the Bicol region and at least 19 in Region 7. Among the cases from Region 7, the group said, three have died from the disease. The group continues to monitor and validate reports from the ground all over the country.

In an earlier reports, ACT asked DepEd for immediate implementation of the following health measures for the protection of education workers:

• Health screening and free testing prior to physical reporting;
• Fully subsidized treatment for COVID-19 positive employees and
• Provision of sick leave benefits to teachers.

“Decisive steps to prevent further spread and respond to the imminent threat of infection among teachers and staff are long overdue,” Basilio said. “DepEd’s negligence has already cost us the health and even lives of our colleagues,” he added.

Basilio stressed that it is only appropriate for teachers and other school staff to be given the protection and assistance they deserve against the pandemic.

“Many of these teachers potentially acquired the virus in the performance of their jobs, while others may have contracted it elsewhere,” he added.

Ceaseless complaints have been received by ACT from teachers who are still required to report to school. Some teachers are even made to report at schools that are still being used as quarantine facilities.