The Teachers' Dignity Coalition on Monday disclosed that some schools are requiring their teachers to render teaching tasks for more than six hours or stay and work in the school beyond eight hours, a violation of existing policies.
The group called on the Department of Education to act swiftly and order the field officials to abide by the rules set forth by the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, Civil Service Commission Resolutions, and several DepEd issuances.
"We are only in the fourth week since the opening of classes resumed but the teachers are already tired. There are already a lot of paperwork, reports, and online tasks aside from face-to-face classes," said BenjoBasas, the group's national chairperson.
Basas said many teachers have reported excessive workload and long hours of teaching worse than the pre-pandemic situation.
As early as 2008, the CSC Resolution 080096 ordered the DepEd to release guidelines on the "six-hour workday" or the requirement to stay in their school for only six hours, the two hours intended to accomplish other tasks incidental to normal teaching duties may be brought home or anywhere convenient to them.
However, the succeeding DepEd leadership failed to implement the resolution despite the two subsequent issuances from former DepEd Secretary JesliLapus in 2008 and 2009, DepEd Memorandum 291, and DeEd Order 16, respectively.
Until now, many teachers are forced to stay in their respective schools for eight hours or more, even without classes or official functions. This issue has been a perennial problem in most schools and has always been the main cause of conflicts in schools between teachers and administrators.
