THE Department of Education (Deped) will release a Deped Memorandum (DM) reiterating provisions stated in DM No. 291 s. 2008 and Deped Order (DO) No. 16, s. 2009 due to the continuing request to strictly implement the six-hour workday for teachers with specific instructions that: a) Teachers who choose to render the remaining two hours of work outside the school premises must not be subjected to salary deductions, b) Teachers should not be required to submit means of verification (MOVs) as proof of services completed during the remaining two hours of work rendered outside the school premises.
It was learned through a press release that the said DM will also direct key offices to monitor the strict and uniform execution of this policy.
-o0o-
Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones is currently fulfilling one of her 10-Point Agenda which is the continuous expansion of employee welfare and she is now spearheading efforts to improve the working condition of teachers.
The agency is conducting a study of the type and magnitude of ancillary tasks undertaken by teachers in schools and the specific typology of the schools (size, geographic distance, etc.) that will ensure a school structure’s responsiveness to the particular needs of the school and school-community as part of its ongoing review of policies on teachers’ workload.
As a result of the study conducted, an initial solution that has been identified is the creation of non-teaching positions in schools which DepEd intends to request from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). This was announced by the Secretary during the World Teachers Day Celebration in Ormoc City.
-o0o-
As a response to a query which have been asked several times in the past, DepEd maintains that teachers are entitled to vacation service credits, which serve as their sick and vacation leaves.
DepEd reiterated that as defined in Section 9 of the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Memorandum Circular (MC) 41, s.1998, vacation service credits are leave credits earned for services rendered on activities during summer or Christmas vacation, as authorized by proper authority, or services done beyond the regular functions or beyond regular work hours/days where payment of honorarium is not possible in the course of the regular school year.
Aside from vacation service credits, unique to the teachers is the Proportional Vacation Pay (PVP). The total PVP that shall be earned by teachers will be based on the computation to be provided by DepEd every school year.
Other leave benefits of teachers, such as Study Leave and Indefinite Sick Leave are covered by Sections 24 and 25 of Republic Act 4670, or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers.
-o0o-
This Corner hopes that with these clarifications, teachers and school heads shall be able to tell other DepEd personnel who have not read this column. For detailed information, anybody can access the official website of DepEd: http://www.deped.gov.ph.