As the new school year commences, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) raises concerns regarding the Department of Education’s (DepEd) recent directives, DepEd Order No. 5, s. 2024, and DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2024, both concerning teachers workload in relation to the MATATAG curriculum. The group previously sent letters to DepEd asking for clarification and requesting a dialogue, even before the school year 2023-2024 closed.

“Despite our patience and willingness to wait, we now wish to clarify several matters related to this issue, especially with the start of classes today,” Basas stated in his letter addressed to Sec. Angara yesterday.

Basas elaborated on the following urgent concerns regarding DepEd Order No. 5, s. 2024, which is entitled Rationalization of Teachers’ Workload in Public Schools and Payment of Teaching Overload:
The requirement to render six hours of actual classroom teaching is being overstretched, with some teachers handling 7-8 sections without breaks, neglecting their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Additional teaching loads from different grade levels are being assigned to teachers to meet the so-called six-hour requirement.
Some teachers are at risk of being declared excess and transferred to other schools, violating Section 6 of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers.

“These issues stem from the portion of the order stating that teachers are ‘required to render six-hour actual classroom teaching,’ which deviates from the Magna Carta provision that teachers ‘shall not be required to render more than six hours of actual classroom teaching a day,’” Basas explained, citing provisions of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, which according to him, does not require the full six hours for actual teaching and has since allowed teachers to teach for less than six hours, have breaks in between classes and to go home after spending six hours in schools.

The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, or RA 4670, according to the group, was enacted to protect teachers’ rights and welfare and has faced numerous challenges since its approval 58 years ago. But, a significant milestone occurred in 2008 when the Civil Service Commission (CSC) ordered DepEd to formulate guidelines ensuring teachers would only stay in school for six hours, with no more than six hours of actual classroom teaching.

“However, the noble intent of this law has often been blatantly ignored,” Basas exclaimed. “It appears they lack comprehension of the challenges of teaching seven to eight sections, particularly when crammed into a six-hour period,” Basas continued.

“We initially anticipated that DO No. 5, s. 2024, would fulfill this advocacy, but it appears we were wrong. This policy, which promises overtime pay, has turned out to be a tool for further exploiting the physical and intellectual labor of our teachers, resulting in overwork, anxiety, stress, and demoralization,” Basas concluded.

A bill filed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian seeking to amend the working hours provision of the law and reduce it to not more than four hours of classroom teaching is currently pending before the Senate.

The TDC remains steadfast in its campaign for the full and correct implementation of the Magna Carta, calling for an immediate suspension of the policies and requesting a dialogue with Sec. Sonny Angara to address the pressing issues.