On Friday, May 7, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said that in order for teachers to have an ample amount of time to rest, the opening for the School Year (SY) 2021-2022 should not be earlier than September 13.
It is already too much that teachers are made to work for 13 straight months in the current school year, and shortening their much-needed break after the taxing first year of distance learning is just plain abuse,
said ACT Secretary-General Raymond Basilio.
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The call was made by ACT after DepEd said that it is also taking into consideration to open the next school year in September as another option.
Earlier, DepEd’s announcement to open SY 2021-2022 on August 23 drew criticisms from stakeholders. The agency later clarified that the date announced for school opening is just a proposal and that the final decision will still be coming from President Dutuerte.
ACT’s concern on school opening is the current situation of the teachers.
Basilio said that before opening the classes, teachers should be able to first complete their rightful 80 days proportional vacation pay (PVP) in a school year which includes Christmas break and the two-month break between school years.
He added that DepEd also needs to recompense the 77 days of overtime work that it had imposed on teachers under the extended school year – asserting that the government as the employer of public school teachers should abide by the labor laws.
It is either they pay our teachers with 25 percent of daily pay for each day of overtime work, or convert such to more rest days, which is equivalent to 19 days – with this, opening of the next school year can be scheduled on Oct. 4,
Basilio said.
Due to the difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers have been counting on the government’s help as the distance learning set-up this school year takes a toll on their health and finances.
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