IN-PERSON CLASSES: A teacher points at something to a student at Pedro Cruz Elementary School in San Juan City as it reopened on Feb. 10, 2022 (Photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is planning to hire at least 10,000 teachers in the coming year, spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said on Thursday.
Poa said that while the hiring of teachers is ongoing, the DepEd has reminded schools, through its Memorandum 76, to fill up their vacancies to have an adequate workforce of teachers in the school year 2022-2023.
“Gusto lang natin paalalahanan ang ating mga paaralan na to fill up na ‘yung ating mga teaching positions. Kung ilan’ yung planong i-hire, next year we are planning – at least as far as the budget is concerned –we are planning to hire 10,000 teachers. As to yung sa kailangan, I don’t have the exact figures right now but next year definitely, we aim to hire 10,000 teachers,” he added.
(We would like to remind our schools to fill vacant teaching positions. Now, on how many we plan to hire, next year we are planning, at least as far as the budget is concerned, we are planning to hire 10,000 teachers. As to how many are needed, I don’t have the exact figures right now, but next year definitely, we aim to hire 10,000 teachers.)
Classroom construction
Poa also said DepEd is committed and confident in finishing the targeted construction of classrooms, explaining that those unfinished in 2021 were due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
“Noong 2021, marami kasing naging problema. Hindi na-utilize ‘yung budget fully because nagkaroon talaga ng problema nung pandemya due to the several lockdowns hindi natutuloy ‘yung construction,” he said.
(In 2021, the budget was not fully utilized because many problems, such as the lockdowns, halted construction.)
But for 2023, he said DepEd is confident in finishing the planned classrooms, considering that there are already detailed engineering plans.
He also cited President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.s’ vow that there would be no more lockdowns due to the pandemic.
“Confident naman kami na matatayo namin ‘yung mga classrooms na gusto namin itayo as planned per budget,” he said.
DepEd has asked for a P86.5-billion budget for 2023 to construct classrooms to address its shortage. Undersecretary Anne Sevilla said the proposed budget could build 34,552 schools in first to sixth-class municipalities.
But last August 26, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) admitted the government does not have enough funds to address the shortage. —Catherine Dabu, INQUIRER.net trainee