Teachers’ group criticizes DepEd, demands to take action on teachers’ rights and welfare

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) called on the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Duterte administration to act on the group’s 5-WTD demands that would guarantee the rights and welfare of the education sector amid the health and crisis of economy due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

This year, we urge you to simply listen and act on our just demands,

ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio said.

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Basilio expressed the statement to detail how overworked, poorly paid, and undersupported teachers are during the pandemic. The group also pointed out about the worsening state neglect and fascist attacks against the education sector.

The 5 WTD Demands which the group demanded were as follows and has garnered 1,808 signatures in under a week through its online petition:

1) Salary upgrading

2) Overtime compensation

3) Laptop & P1,500 a month internet allowance for teachers, and gadgets and P10,000 pandemic aid for students

4) P3,000 inflation adjustment allowance for teachers

5) P10,000 honorarium for teacher-poll workers.

ACT said that each demand is being forwarded through dialogues with concerned agencies, lobbying for legislative measures in Congress and Senate, school-based actions, picket-protests, and soon, through a mass leave.

These demands stand on strong grounds… They have time and again been raised in reports gathered by our unions, validated in surveys participated in by thousands of teachers, carefully analyzed and studied with them, and consulted with stakeholders and experts in labor rights and laws,

Basilio said.

He also also criticized how the DepEd invalidated the group’s calls and dampened their resolve to fight for the rights and welfare of teachers which he called as “shameless.”