Monday, March 03, 2008 Leave awaits teachers who served in SK polls
TEACHERS who served at the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections last October can now enjoy the five-day leave granted to them for their service.
Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Ramon Bacani said the leave is exclusive of the 15 days maximum service credits allowed them every year.
All teachers and school officials who rendered election duties shall be granted service credits of five days, Bacani said in a memorandum dated Jan. 21.
According to DepEd’s guidelines, vacation service credits are given only for work beyond regular work hours or days where payment of honorarium or overtime pay is not enough.
‘Extraordinary’
DepEd said service credits are also justified especially for teachers who do “extraordinary” work that exposes them to risks and for which monetary compensation is not enough.
Aside for poll duties, service credits are granted for services offered during calamity and rehabilitation when schools are used as evacuation centers, and during school sports competitions or test activities held beyond regular school days.
One work day of vacation service credit is given for one day of service.
Unused vacation
DepEd ensures that a teacher’s number of service credits does not exceed 15 work days in a year.
Unused vacation service credits are converted into vacation-sick leave credits.
2,000 teachers
Teachers are also entitled to honorarium for election duties, which is given by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) through the city and municipal treasurer.
However, there are still at least 2,000 teachers in the province who have not yet received their honoraria totaling over P2 million.
Comelec, Department of Budget and Management, National Youth Commission, and the Department of Interior and Local Government have planned to allocate 10 percent of the Internal Revenue Allotment and the remaining balance of the youth council for the honorarium. (NRC)
