MANILA -- "Running" from one class to another is a skill that more teachers have now learned, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-National Capital Region (ACT-NCR) Union, amid the implementation of the new MATATAG curriculum.

ACT-NCR President Ruby Bernardo on Thursday said they want to seek a dialogue with the Department of Education (DepEd) to air their concerns.

"Ang mga teachers po natin ngayon, nagtuturo ng pito hanggang walo na bilang ng klase araw-araw. Ito iyong pinakapagod na tatlong linggo doon sa ating mga estudyante. Sabi nga namin, para kaming mga Olympians na talagang tumatakbo doon sa aming mga klase. Umaatikabong marathon dahil sa hirap ng pasan-pasan din namin na work ngayong school year na ito," she told reporters during a protest action in front of the DepEd main office in Pasig.

"Dati iyong klase namin apat o kaya naman ay lima, hanggang anim - anim maximum kasi six hours actual teaching load. Pero dahil ginawang 45 minutes, kinakailangan ng pito hanggang walo na klase iyong turuan para doon sa pagsagad ng six hours. Sabi nga namin, dapat nga hindi sinasagad," she added.

Bernardo shared they have to juggle the new curriculum with the learning recovery plan.

"Iyong National Mathematics Program at iyong National Reading Program na nakadagdag din sa subjects na tinuturo ng ating mga teachers... Kasi maliban doon sa kanilang regular na Math, may tinuturo pa sila na National Mathematics Program. Walang training ang mga teachers na maayos dito sa recovery programs na ito kaya nangangamba rin kami na hindi kami makatugon doon sa essentially ay talagang objective nito, 'di ba, na maka-recover iyong ating mga bata," she explained.

The "MATATAG Agenda" was launched during the stint of Vice President Sara Duterte as education secretary.

Under the agenda--aimed at "improving the quality of basic education in the country", according to a DepEd memorandum--is the revised curriculum dubbed as MATATAG curriculum, which seeks to decongest the curriculum, focus on foundational skills, ensure that the Philippine education system is on par with international standards, among others.

The new curriculum is being fully implemented in Kindergarten, Grades 1, 4, and 7 in the ongoing school year 2024-2025, while other grade levels are expected to follow suit in the coming school years.

'BETTER, MORE POSITIVE' DEPED ADMIN

Bernardo meanwhile called on the agency to hire more non-teaching personnel to truly fulfill its promise to lessen the workload of teachers and let them focus on teaching.

The group continues to push for a P50,000 entry-level salary for teachers, as a means to provide living wages and prevent teachers from leaving the country to seek better opportunities overseas.

Still, the ACT-NCR Union is hopeful and optimistic that Education Secretary Sonny Angara will spearhead reforms in the sector.

"Mas magaan iyong, kumbaga, pagtingin namin ngayon, mas positibo iyong bagong DepEd secretary. Kaya rin po talaga nagpunta kami dito kasi alam namin na sa dinudulog namin... magre-respond siya agad dahil kailangan po talaga ng urgent solution itong mga problema sa ating mga eskwela," Bernardo said.

"Nauunawaan namin na mahirap po talaga itong solusyunan, pero higit sa lahat, importante iyong nakikinig doon sa ating mga guro, doon sa ating mga estudyante at doon sa aktuwal na kalagayan. At hindi na sana kami makaranas ng red-tagging dito sa ahensyang ito."