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Why a teachers' group wants to push back the start of classes to September

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Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Public school teacher Gernalyn Ocaso works at her laptop in her home in Pasig City, doing additional school duties beyond the last day of classes. Photo by Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/07/10/20220710-online-class.jpg"/><figcaption>Public school teacher Gernalyn Ocaso works at her laptop in her home in Pasig City, doing additional school duties beyond the last day of classes. Photo by Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>Like many of her fellow teachers, Gernalyn Ocaso’s school year did not end with the last day of classes on June 24.For over 2 weeks since, she’s been occupied compiling grades, submitting audit forms, and even collecting the nutritional status of her students in 6 sections of Rizal High School in Pasig City.With her additional load, Ocaso said she might be able to only catch a break by the end of July—giving her only 3 weeks&#x27; rest until she again goes to work with the &quot;Brigada Eskwela&quot; a week before classes resume on August 22.Ocaso echoes the appeal of the Teachers&#x27; Dignity Coalition to the Department of Education (DepEd) to move the school reopening to mid-September to allow teachers 2 months of rest.It&#x27;s a call, however, not shared by another teachers&#x27; group, which said the reopening of face-to-face classes was long overdue.&quot;Kapag ganoon ang nangyari kasi, hindi mare-refresh &#x27;yong utak ni teacher,&quot; Ocaso said.&quot;Mas mahirap sa amin bumalik sa trabaho na overloaded pa din kami, na marami kaming iniisip na previous na trabaho. Kailangan din namin magkaroon ng time para sa family, para maging masaya din kahit papaano at maging magaan &#x27;yong loob namin bago kami pumasok.&quot; (If that happens, the teacher’s mind won’t be refreshed. It will be harder for us to return to work still overloaded and preoccupied with our previous work. We also need to have time for our families, to enjoy and lighten up before we return to work.) She added teachers like her also have to prepare both themselves and their own children for the planned implementation of face-to-face classes, which the Marcos administration hopes to fully carry out this November.No official calendar has been released yet for the upcoming School Year 2022-2023.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/05/22/deped-to-release-department-order-on-full-face-to-face-classes">DepEd to release Department Order on full face-to-face classes</a></li></ul><div>RIGHT TO REST</div>Teachers’ Dignity Coalition national chair Benjo Basas said granting the extension is not a mere demand but a call to recognize the teachers’ right to rest.&quot;Sana mapagbigyan kasi August 22, talagang hindi pa tayo nakahanda diyan considering na napakarami pang pag-iisipan para masabi nating ready ang ating system,&quot; he told ABS-CBN TeleRadyo on Sunday. (We hope this call is heeded because we are not really ready for August 2022, considering there are many that need to be considered for us to say the system is ready.)However, Basas said many teachers are one with other parents in wanting to resume classes soon.&quot;Gusto namin mapaghandaan natin ito. Physically, ihahanda natin ang ating mga eskuwelahan. Emotionally and mentally din, ihahanda naman natin ang ating mga teachers po,&quot; he added. (We want to prepare for this. We want our schools to be ready physically. And we will also prepare our teachers emotionally and mentally.)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/07/10/22/grupo-nais-iurong-ang-susunod-na-school-opening">Grupo ng mga guro gustong iurong ang susunod na school opening sa Setyembre</a></li></ul>Aside from admin work, other teachers are also handling remedial and enrichment classes during the break. Public school teachers do not have sick leaves. <div>FACE-TO-FACE OVERDUE</div>But ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said the school opening and face-to-face classes must be implemented as scheduled.&quot;Two years of failed blended distance learning is too long,&quot; Castro said in a statement on Sunday.She cited the inadequacy of learning materials, problems with internet connection, and lack of support for modular learning as contributing to a &quot;learning crisis&quot; in the Philippine education system.The Philippines is also among the last countries worldwide to return to on-site learning.&quot;We cannot afford another postponement of classes. But the Department of Education and the administration of Marcos Jr. must make sure that the schools are equipped with adequate resources for safe back-to-school for our students.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/09/22/angara-says-schools-should-open-in-august">Angara says schools should open in August</a></li></ul>The lawmaker said they will file a resolution in Congress to provide a supplemental budget for schools’ maintenance and operating expenses to help with the preps for face-to-face classes.While opposing the extension of a school break for teachers, Castro however said teachers must be given compensation or service credit for school-related work beyond the end of the school year.Despite their differing stances on school reopening, both the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition and ACT Teachers agree the government must provide additional funding to hire more teachers and school personnel, build more classrooms, and ensure safe school return.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/20/22/sara-duterte-looking-into-wage-hike-for-teachers">Sara Duterte on wage hike for teachers: &#x27;We&#x27;ll dovetail from what Duterte admin did&#x27;</a></li></ul>Ocaso said they hope their concerns are heard and taken into consideration by education officials in the future before making decisions teachers will have to implement and even take flak for.<div>PRIVATE SCHOOLS READY</div>Meanwhile, the umbrella group of private school associations in the Philippines assured their readiness to comply with full face-to-face classes. The Coordinating Council for Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) said in a statement Sunday their member schools have been preparing for this eventuality for months.COCOPEA chair Dr. Anthony Tamayo said private schools should still be allowed flexibility in offering hybrid or full online classes.&quot;As the safety of our students, teachers, and other personnel are paramount, expediting their vaccination and stricter adherence to the minimum public health standards would help persuade parents to send their children back to school,&quot; he added.An economist from the University of Santo Tomas also urged the government to mandate second COVID-19 booster shots before implementing face-to-face classes in November.Prof. Carlos Manapat said in an online media forum on Sunday that this would help avoid problems such as the spread of infection in schools.&quot;&#x27;Yong mga desisyong mga ganun po kasi, mga abrupt, malaki ang tinatawag nating opportunity costs,&quot; he said. &quot;May magandang maidudulot, pero at the same time mayroong threat pa rin na pwede silang magkasakit.&quot;(Abrupt decisions like that have large opportunity costs. They may have good consequences, but at the same time still pose the threat of students getting sick.)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/06/22/govt-urged-to-ensure-safety-in-return-to-full-in-person-classes">Groups urge gov’t: Ensure safety in return to full in-person classes</a></li></ul><div>—With a report from Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News</div><div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1894170" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition appealed to move the school reopening to mid-September to allow teachers two months of rest.

Why a teachers' group wants to push back the start of classes to September

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Why a teachers' group wants to push back the start of classes to September

Anjo Bagaoisan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 11, 2022 12:29 AM PHT

Read More:

basic education

school break

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition

ACT Teachers

Department of Education

face-to-face classes

COCOPEA

private schools

blended learning

France Castro

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