DepEd not ready for mandatory kindergarten, says Mindanao teachers’ group

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Department of Education (Deped) is unprepared for the mandatory kindergarten curriculum, which is part of the K+12 basic education program, according to a teacher’s organization in Southern Mindanao.

The Kahugpungan sa mga Magtutudlo ug Kawani sa Edukasyon sa Mindanao (Kamkem), or the Alliance of Teachers and Education Employees in Mindanao, said the DepEd has been desperately looking for volunteer teachers to handle pre-school sessions.

Elenito Escalante, Kamkem chair, said that the situation was glaring even at the Kapitan Tomas Monteverde, one of the largest public schools in the city.

According to Escalante, the school has only one kindergarten teacher for some 300 pre-schoolers.

DepEd has said it expects the number of pre-schoolers in Southern Mindanao to be much more than 2010’s 54,847 enrollees in 800 public schools.

“With just a few days to go, DepEd is now in haste, looking for volunteer teachers to teach kindergarten, saying that if no volunteer comes up, Grade I teachers already handling classes will have to fill in,” he said.

The problem is that Grade I teachers already have their hands full teaching pupils and would be so much burdened by additional loads, according to Escalante.

He said education officials should first address existing problems in public schools before introducing “solutions” that could only worsen the problem.

DepEd officials were not available for comment.

But in the information kit on the K+12, which was released last week, the DepEd said there was no need to allot additional budget for kindergarten teachers because they would not be handling additional work beyond their regular workload under the mandatory kindergarten curriculum.

But Escalante asked: “How can you expect quality education if you lacked teachers to teach?” he asked.

He added that the DepEd had never thought of increasing their salaries.

“The government likes to add insult to injury,” Escalante said.

He also lamented the DepEd’s practice of hiring volunteer teachers, who were paid a measly honorarium of P3,000 per month for every class they handle.

Escalante said the practice rarely attracted unemployed teachers because even if they wanted to work, delayed honorariums were discouraging.

“They are called volunteer teachers and sometimes, their honorarium gets delayed by up to seven months, as in the case of the previous year,” he said.

Escalante said if it wanted the quality of education to improve, the government “should give teachers just compensation and job security.”