Increase in chalk allowance ‘not enough’, says teachers' representative

THE Department of Education's (DepEd) proposal to increase the P700 yearly "chalk allowance" of teachers to P1,000 is "not enough", ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said.

Tinio, who authored a bill providing for a teaching supplies allowance for public school teachers, made these remarks after the Department of Education (DepEd) submitted a proposal to realign more funds for teachers' chalk allowances.

The proposal, which intends to allot P150 million of the DepEd's budget for 2012 for teaching supplies, was submitted to the House Committee on Appropriations.

"We welcome DepEd's proposal but the increase is not enough…The national government must put an end to our public school teachers' long-standing burden of providing teaching supplies out of their own pockets," Tinio said.

Kabataan party-list Representative Raymond Palatino said the government should grant a P2,000-yearly chalk allowance to public school teachers.

"How can our teachers properly hone our students to become intelligent and responsible members of our society if something as basic as a chalk fund is not sufficiently provided by the government? Kawawa na nga ang ating mga guro dahil sa kakarampot na sahod, sila pa ngayon ang inaashan ng punan ang kakulangan sa chalk at iba pang pangangailangan sa pagtuturo," Palatino added.

The lawmaker representing the youth sector said that even with the P238.8 billion budget for basic education, shortages still haunt the country’s public elementary and high schools.

He said that at least P115 billion is still needed to alleviate the problem of shortages and lack of supplies in our public schools.

"If the Aquino government cannot grant the just demand of our teachers for an additional chalk allowance, how can we be convinced with his K-12 plan?" Palatino remarked.

The K-12 program, if approved, will add two more years to basic education – one in elementary and another in high school to meet with the standards of other countries. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)