ACT Hits DepEd Over Repeated Teacher Reminders, Cites Low Pay and Lack of Support

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to focus on what it described as deeper problems affecting teachers and education support personnel, following a series of reminders issued by the agency concerning financial practices, social media use, and electronic devices in schools.

ACT said Friday that while DepEd’s reminders may be intended to promote responsible conduct among personnel, they do not directly address the conditions that push teachers into financial difficulty or contribute to problems inside schools.

DepEd reminders draw concern from teachers’ group

Among the recent reminders cited by ACT are advisories discouraging teachers from using their ATM payroll cards as collateral for loans, posting social media content that could compromise learners’ identities, and allowing electronic devices to be used during class hours except for legitimate instructional or educational purposes.

ACT argued that such directives “put the burden on teachers and personnel to manage problems” that are caused by “low salaries, inadequate support and severe shortages in schools.”

“The agency is busy with releasing reminders and warnings, while there is a lack of attention and action to resolve the root causes of teachers going into debt and extreme shortages in schools,” said ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo.

Group points to salaries and rising living costs

On the issue of teachers surrendering their payroll cards as security for loans, ACT maintained that indebtedness among education workers should be viewed in the context of their financial situation.

The group stressed that “no teacher or education support personnel willingly surrenders their payroll card to loan sharks by choice,” and they are forced into such situations “because their current salaries can no longer keep pace with the soaring cost of living.”

ACT added that “if the department truly wants to protect DepEd personnel from high-risk and abusive lending practices, financial exploitation, and excessive indebtedness, it must push the Marcos Jr. administration to provide teachers and education support personnel with decent and livable salaries.”

Professionalism should come with adequate support, ACT says

The teachers’ group also questioned DepEd’s continued emphasis on maintaining “professionalism,” particularly in relation to teachers’ use of social media.

According to ACT, professional standards should be matched by proper compensation, humane working conditions, and sufficient government support for education workers.

It stressed the agency “cannot demand silence or image management while the education system continues to face a worsening crisis.”

“Treat us as professionals in the truest sense of the word. It is not enough to require a high standard of conduct and performance at work if the salaries are not enough, their situation at work is not human, and they are lacking in support,” said Bernardo.

ACT further called on DepEd to “stop treating teachers and education personnel like children who need constant reprimands and reminders, and instead listen to and act on their legitimate demands.”

ACT renews salary and education budget proposals

Instead of relying primarily on reminders and warnings, ACT said government action should concentrate on improving the economic situation of education workers and addressing shortages affecting public schools.

The group renewed its proposal for a P50,000 entry-level salary for public school teachers and a P36,000 minimum basic salary for Salary Grade 1 government employees.

ACT also pushed for a larger national education budget equivalent to at least 6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

According to the group, increased funding could be used to improve school facilities, address shortages, and provide teachers and education personnel with the resources and support they need to perform their duties effectively.

For ACT, addressing these underlying concerns would provide a more lasting solution than repeatedly reminding teachers about the consequences of financial hardship, inadequate resources, and challenges encountered in the workplace.