Tag Archives: Teachers Dignity Coalition

[Statement] Academic break, suportado ng mga guro -TDC

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#HumanRights #Education Academic break, suportado ng mga guro

Nagpahayag ng suporta sa mga panawagan ng deklarasyon ng academic break ang Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) upang makatulong umano sa pagbangon ng mga pamilyang nasalanta ng magkakasunod na kalamidad nitong buwan. Ayon sa TDC, bago pa man magkaroon ng sunud-sunod na bagyo ay may ilang paaralan na ang nagpatupad ng academic break kagaya ng Philippine Science High School (PCSHS), sa kasalukuyan naman ay ipinatutupad ng University of the Philippines (UP) ang suspensiyon ng lahat ng klase at anumang academic activtites mula Nobyember 16 hanggang 21. Samantala, ang lungsod ng Marikina ay nagdeklara ng suspensiyon ng klase hanggang saa Disyembre 16.

“Yung academic ease na sinasabi ng DepEd ay hindi sapat dahil may mga gawaing pampaaralan pa rin ang mga bata na kailangang gabayan ng kanilang mga magulang. Hindi ito praktikal sa panahong hindi pa lubos na nakakaahon ang mga apektado ng bagyo at baha, uunahin pa ba nila ang pagsagot sa module o pagdalo sa online class sa halip na maghanap ng makakain o maglinis ng bahay na nalubog sa putik?” Pahayag ni Benjo Basas, National Chairperson ng TDC.

Ayon sa DepEd ay hindi na umano nito maaaring mapagbigyan ang ganitong kahilingan sapagkat nauna nang na-adjust ang school calendar at ito ay magtatapos sa Hunyo 2021.

“Kung ang ilang mga institusyon gaya ng UP ay nagpatupad ng academic break, bakit hindi ito magagawa ng DepEd at CHED sa mga lugar na matinding naapektuhan ng kalamidad? Noon ngang bago pa tumama ang bagyo sa tingin ko ay kailangan ng pahinga ng mga bata, magulang at guro, lalo na ngayon na walang internet, kuryente at tubig at maaaring nalubog sa tubig ang modules at gadgets. Hindi naman ito maaaring ibilad lang at plantsahin,” pagtatapos ni Basas.

Inaasahan pa rin ng TDC na maikukunsidera ng DepEd ang pagpapatupad ng academic break hanggang sa Nobyemre 30. #

Reference:
Benjo Basas, TDC National Chairperson
09273356375
Teachers’ Dignity Coalition
STATEMENT
November 18, 2020

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[Press Release] First Week of School Year, chaos instead of success -TDC

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#HumanRights #Education [Press Release] First Week of School Year, chaos instead of success

DepEd Chief Leonor Briones claimed success on the opening of classes last October 5. In particular, she declares that it was a victory against “the destroyer” COVID-19. But the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), refuses to agree with Briones and said that the opening was neither a victory against pandemic nor a victory of education.

“The entire week was marred with already expected problems,” said Benjo Basas, the group’s National Chairperson. “From lack of modules to internet connectivity issues, the main, if not the only methods of teaching and learning under distance learning modality, things proved to be ill-prepared,” he added.

“A mere imposition of the beginning of another school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is not a victory against it, in fact, it could worsen the already dismal situation. In terms of education, we could actually foresee that there’s a lot of Filipino children who will be left behind as evidenced by so many unfortunate events last week,” Basas continued.

TDC said that while many teachers, despite apprehensions still anticipated and actually worked for a successful school opening, things turned out to be confusing at the very least.

“Because of all the confusion, teachers became easy targets for angry parents and learners alike. As if being bombarded 24/7 with calls and messages from hundreds of students were not enough, teachers had to absorb the raging insults from parents who can’t find anyone else to point a finger to for the nightmare they are experiencing,” Basas added.

The TDC said that teachers, as always, exhibited their patience and made the best possible response to their clientele. “Who can blame them? Some of our parents had to stop working just to help their children with their new and strange schooling. Level-inappropriate materials, ridiculously wrong content, impossible mode of learning, and volumes upon volumes of paper they had to unravel while worrying that they could be sifting through COVID19-laden modules,” Basas explained.

Basas furthered that teachers were being sacrificed just to beat the self-imposed October 5 deadline of the DepEd, “But worse for the teachers! Waiting for modules that never came, switching to FB messenger, phone calls, and text messages, to which many students have no regular access, and alternately going through learner outputs that sat for days in possibly infected homes.”

The TDC again calls on the DepEd management to once and for all re-connect with its teachers, the front liners in the ground to better grasp the situation in the field and to guide them in crafting more responsive and applicable policies. Most importantly, put the welfare of teachers in paramount consideration instead of imposing unrealistic programs at their expense.

“Teachers have become the bulletproof vests of the DepEd leadership ever since, and more so today. But we are not made of Kevlar. We are flesh and blood, just like our beloved students. We have taken so many bullets for the agency and yet, our leaders remain indifferent, unresponsive, and unfazed,” Basas ended.

For details:
Benjo Basas, 0927-3356375

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition
4443 BCL Homes, Independence St., Gen. T. De Leon Valenzuela City
Telephone (02) 6920-296 • Mobile: 0916-6126739
Email: teachersdignity@yahoo.com.ph

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[Statement] Consider the use of books and stop producing expensive modules -TDC

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Consider the use of books and stop producing expensive modules

If it has been scientifically determined that modules should be the main delivery system replacing textbooks, there needs to be one standard method for creating them. We are supposed to have specialists and experts in the Central and Regional offices who should design them. But divisions are being compelled to draw Plan Bs as it becomes more and more clear that Central Office will not be able to deliver on time. Now, we have modules from the Central Office and modules from the divisions and even schools. Which one takes precedence then? This is not a simple “left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing”, the left-hand doesn’t know what it’s doing itself either! But the right hand isn’t doing so well either, leaving the burden now on who else, but teachers!

Realities on the ground are embarrassing. Schools produce their own modules and actually raise funds to be able to meet the requirements of DepEd. Some of our teachers now resorting to online solicitations— even barter. This is outright begging. Simple mendicancy. Still, many are forced to personally finance these modules- materials that are supposedly state-funded.

Yet, in the end, and 9 billion pesos later, the readiness of the system, even for the first quarter is proving to be but a myth. Because of this shortage, there are even reported cases of schools resorting to scheme where modules will be shared by two groups of learners. Based on a survey that we have conducted thru social media, most schools have ready materials only for the first two weeks up to the first month of the coming school year.

Recently, Secretary Leonor Briones herself stated in a news conference that the use of modules would have an impact on the environment and will put too many trees in danger aside from being very expensive. Of course, we want to see this pronouncement in terms of policies. We adjure the DepEd to use the printed books instead of modules and supply the necessary activity sheets or lesson guides (physical or digital). We, therefore, propose to halt further production of modules for the second quarter and the rest of the school year. And since many teachers claimed that they produced their own materials and actually spent for those, accounting for the initial fund allocation is needed.

Reference:
Benjo Basas, TDC National Chairperson

0923-0819750/ 0927-3356375

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All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos, etc