Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Private schools slam 'demanding' teachers group; fears planned school opening will be derailed
Philippines
Private schools slam 'demanding' teachers group; fears planned school opening will be derailed
Private schools slam 'demanding' teachers group; fears planned school opening will be derailed
Published May 25, 2020 12:00 am
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
A federation of private schools hit a teachers group for “dictating” on the Department of Education (DepEd) on how to proceed with the preparations and formal school opening set in August.
(Photo courtesy of DepEd / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Federation of Associations of Private School Administrators (FAPSA) said that its member schools have expressed concern on the school opening for the School Year (SY) 2020-2021 after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines laid out a five-point demand that the government and the DepEd should consider before opening the public schools to its teachers and staff on June 1 and to learners on August 24.
“FAPSA schools are horror-struck at the tenacity of a public school organization already dictating the DepEd hierarchy as to how they wanted to proceed with school reporting in June and attending classes on August,” said FAPSA president Eleazardo Kasilag.
Kasilag added that FAPSA is “simply flabbergasted as how invincible” the ACT feels that it can order DepEd around while officials of private schools “humbly” accepts the “little help extended to us.”
Earlier, ACT Philippines said that there should be no school opening if their five demands are not met by the government and DepEd which include: 1) employing a comprehensive medical and socio-economic response to the crisis; 2) funding and establishing health and safety measures at the school level; 3) ensuring access to quality education; 4) protecting education workers’ labor rights and grant necessary benefits; and 5) conducting democratic consultations with teachers, parents, and learners.
“Without addressing all five, no return to schools shall take place - the safety of students and teachers comes first,” ACT said.
However, Kasilag alleged that “most of the demands” cited by ACT are “money-related.” Threatening DepEd, he added, is not something a teacher should do as this may be perceived as correct by school children. “It is not a good example that if the money-related matters are satisfied, then, they are ready to report for teaching because it that shall be the standard, then, the objectives of education needs some revisiting,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kasilag lamented that that public school teachers are already enjoying higher salaries compared to those that teach in smaller private schools. Public school teachers were somehow “spared” from the financial impact of COVID-19 as their salaries were paid by the government through DepEd “while private school teachers silently beg for some crumbs” from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) as lobbied by DepEd.
Kasilag said that he could not help but “shed a tear” whenever he sees some public school teachers flash on social media their “lavish dishes on the table” while private school teachers have to be “contended themselves with dole-outs from the barangay.”
To date, Kasilag noted that many private school teachers have yet to receive any form of assistance from government agencies. “It’s really disheartening especially as we work on the list of depressed teachers who have been dismissed owing to bankruptcy,” he added.
Fear of private schools
For Kasilag, the demands of ACT only add up to the existing concerns of private schools - especially since FAPSA-member schools and its teachers are greatly affected by the COVID-19.
“We are afraid that should DepEd fail to give in to the ultimatum of ACT, public schools shall declare a year-long holiday,” Kasilag said. Member-schools of FAPSA have almost three million students in 3,000 private schools. This early, many FAPSA members are preparing to start their classes as early as June using various alternative modalities - particularly online learning.
Should the start of classes this upcoming school year be postponed to a later date, Kasilag said that even the FAPSA preparation for online distance education may be affected.
Kasilag noted that private schools continue to strive for survival in these challenging times. “We are here for the passion to teach because we believe extended class suspension triggers lifelong harm,” he added. “Public school teachers should understand that our pupils might get used to vacation and lose interest in anything academic,” he added.
Echoing DepEd’s position that “education must continue even in emergencies,” Kasilag also slammed those who are calling for postponing the school opening. Even during calamities such as - eruption of volcanoes and strong typhoons - and even during war time, he noted that children still continued their education. “Now that the COVID-19 forces us to stay inside the comfort of our houses and the students will have home-based learning, you’re more afraid?” he asked.
Kasilag added during emergencies, the “moral duty of teaching has to be conducted.” DepEd, he added, is also after the safety and welfare of everyone, thus, he urged teachers “not be afraid” as they are tasked to prepare the country’s future generation.
(Photo courtesy of DepEd / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Federation of Associations of Private School Administrators (FAPSA) said that its member schools have expressed concern on the school opening for the School Year (SY) 2020-2021 after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines laid out a five-point demand that the government and the DepEd should consider before opening the public schools to its teachers and staff on June 1 and to learners on August 24.
“FAPSA schools are horror-struck at the tenacity of a public school organization already dictating the DepEd hierarchy as to how they wanted to proceed with school reporting in June and attending classes on August,” said FAPSA president Eleazardo Kasilag.
Kasilag added that FAPSA is “simply flabbergasted as how invincible” the ACT feels that it can order DepEd around while officials of private schools “humbly” accepts the “little help extended to us.”
Earlier, ACT Philippines said that there should be no school opening if their five demands are not met by the government and DepEd which include: 1) employing a comprehensive medical and socio-economic response to the crisis; 2) funding and establishing health and safety measures at the school level; 3) ensuring access to quality education; 4) protecting education workers’ labor rights and grant necessary benefits; and 5) conducting democratic consultations with teachers, parents, and learners.
“Without addressing all five, no return to schools shall take place - the safety of students and teachers comes first,” ACT said.
However, Kasilag alleged that “most of the demands” cited by ACT are “money-related.” Threatening DepEd, he added, is not something a teacher should do as this may be perceived as correct by school children. “It is not a good example that if the money-related matters are satisfied, then, they are ready to report for teaching because it that shall be the standard, then, the objectives of education needs some revisiting,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kasilag lamented that that public school teachers are already enjoying higher salaries compared to those that teach in smaller private schools. Public school teachers were somehow “spared” from the financial impact of COVID-19 as their salaries were paid by the government through DepEd “while private school teachers silently beg for some crumbs” from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) as lobbied by DepEd.
Kasilag said that he could not help but “shed a tear” whenever he sees some public school teachers flash on social media their “lavish dishes on the table” while private school teachers have to be “contended themselves with dole-outs from the barangay.”
To date, Kasilag noted that many private school teachers have yet to receive any form of assistance from government agencies. “It’s really disheartening especially as we work on the list of depressed teachers who have been dismissed owing to bankruptcy,” he added.
Fear of private schools
For Kasilag, the demands of ACT only add up to the existing concerns of private schools - especially since FAPSA-member schools and its teachers are greatly affected by the COVID-19.
“We are afraid that should DepEd fail to give in to the ultimatum of ACT, public schools shall declare a year-long holiday,” Kasilag said. Member-schools of FAPSA have almost three million students in 3,000 private schools. This early, many FAPSA members are preparing to start their classes as early as June using various alternative modalities - particularly online learning.
Should the start of classes this upcoming school year be postponed to a later date, Kasilag said that even the FAPSA preparation for online distance education may be affected.
Kasilag noted that private schools continue to strive for survival in these challenging times. “We are here for the passion to teach because we believe extended class suspension triggers lifelong harm,” he added. “Public school teachers should understand that our pupils might get used to vacation and lose interest in anything academic,” he added.
Echoing DepEd’s position that “education must continue even in emergencies,” Kasilag also slammed those who are calling for postponing the school opening. Even during calamities such as - eruption of volcanoes and strong typhoons - and even during war time, he noted that children still continued their education. “Now that the COVID-19 forces us to stay inside the comfort of our houses and the students will have home-based learning, you’re more afraid?” he asked.
Kasilag added during emergencies, the “moral duty of teaching has to be conducted.” DepEd, he added, is also after the safety and welfare of everyone, thus, he urged teachers “not be afraid” as they are tasked to prepare the country’s future generation.