The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)-NCR Union expressed grave concern over the latest EDCOM II report findings, which reveal a severe crisis confronting public school teachers, particularly regarding workload issues and declining educational quality.
“The EDCOM II report validates our persistent complaints about teacher exploitation. When two out of three teachers work beyond 40 hours weekly—mostly on administrative tasks rather than teaching duties—we have a serious systemic problem,” said Ruby Bernardo, ACT-NCR Union President.
“Araw-araw na lang ay dumadaing ang ating mga guro sa sobra-sobrang trabaho. Hindi na nila magampanan nang maayos ang kanilang tungkulin sa pagtuturo dahil sa mga walang katapusang administrative tasks at clerical work,” Bernardo added. (Our teachers complain daily about excessive workloads. They can no longer properly fulfill their teaching duties due to endless administrative tasks and clerical work.)
The union leader pointed out how the report’s findings on the lack of subject specialization further compound the crisis. “The EDCOM II report correctly points out how this setup ‘undermines the quality of instructional expertise in the basic education system.’ Sadly, this has been our reality for years now.”
“Our teachers are forced to handle subjects outside their expertise while juggling countless non-teaching duties. Ang isang Math teacher, napipilitang magturo ng Filipino o ESP. Ang isang Science teacher, ginagawang guidance counselor o clerk. This is the broken system we’re dealing with,” Bernardo added.
“This Valentine’s Day, public school teachers will wear black and display black hearts to show that there is no love for teachers under the current administration. Ipapakita namin ang tunay na kalagayan ng mga guro. Black hearts symbolize our heartbreak over the government’s continued neglect of education and teachers’ welfare,” declared Ruby Bernardo, ACT-NCR Union President.
The union leader emphasized that teachers’ salaries remain insufficient amid rising costs of living. “The entry-level salary of Teacher 1 at P30,024 is far from the P50,000 monthly living wage needed by a family of five. Paano naman makakatuon ang isang guro sa pagtuturo kung hirap na hirap siyang tustusan ang pangangailangan ng kanyang pamilya?” (How can a teacher focus on teaching when they struggle to provide for their family’s needs?)
“The government must act now. Kung gustong matugunan ang krisis sa edukasyon, bigyang-pansin din ang kagalingan at kalagayan ng mga guro natin,” Bernardo concluded. (If we want to address the education crisis, we should also pay attention to the well-being and situation of our teachers.)#
