MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is hoping the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 will help in its hiring program for teachers who were displaced after hundreds of private schools face closure amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.
“We preserve the reporting of regional directors and some of them reported that part of their distance learning delivery will involve hiring teacher facilitators to augment our teaching force. In line of distance learning, there have been partnerships with DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) on the ground with the work assistance to the teachers,” DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan told ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday when asked about hiring displaced private school teachers as learning facilitators.
“We do not have figures yet. We are looking at the Bayanihan 2 and we are actively looking at the process of the implementation of Bayanihan 2 program to hopefully include this in its operationalization,” he added.
Currently, Nepomuceno said they are also looking at using funds from partnerships with local government units to fund the program.
“From the DepEd side, there is no specific amount that is segregated for this purpose. It will be a combination, if it is possible, within existing downloaded funds whether for the MOE (Ministry of Education) of schools or through partnerships of LGU through SEF (Special Education Fund), and as I mentioned, we are hopeful there is a portion of Bayanihan 2 that can be mobilized for this purpose,” the DepEd official said.
Nepomuceno also noted that they are asking private schools about the number of teachers who lost their jobs due to the closure.
Recent records from DepEd showed that 440 private schools will shut down due to lack of enrolees and high cost of operations.
The Senate and the House of Representatives had already ratified the Bayanihan 2 bill which now only needs the President’s signature to become a law.