Teachers force DepEd Manila to backtrack on anti-rest order
Public school teachers in Manila scored a victory when the Department of Education-Division of Manila (DepEd Manila) withdrew its earlier order compelling them to submit performance ratings when they were supposed to be enjoying well-deserved rest.
DepEd Manila recently issued Division Memorandum (DM) 227, correcting DM 219 requiring teachers to submit their Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) and Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) reports for School Year 2023-2024 by June 10.
DM 227 was issued two days after teachers held a protest rally at DepEd Manila in Arroceros against the anti-rest order.
The teachers said DM 219 was an attempt to steal their hard-earned victory for at least a month-long rest after each grueling school year.
The mandatory 30-day rest was a victory achieved in 2023 through negotiated bargaining led by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-National Capital Region Union (ACT NCR Union) as the teachers’ sole and exclusive negotiating agent, the Manila Public School Teachers Association (MPSTA) said in a statement.
MPSTA is ACT NCR Union’s chapter in Manila.
Even DepEd Central Office recognized the rest benefit by announcing a mandatory vacation leave for teachers from June 1 to 30, the MPSTA revealed.
But DepEd Manila wanted to violate the right by requiring teachers to work on RPMS-PPST reports and submitting them on June 10.
“It is worrisome that they do not consult us teachers on policies they impose on us,” MPSTA said.
While DepEd said RPMS-PPST is important in ensuring “quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education in the country,” MPSTA said it is not the right gauge to the teacher’s contribution to education.
RPMS-PPST is utilized to compute benefits given to teachers.
“There is no rating that equals the hardships and sacrifices of teachers,” MPSTA said.
“Consultation before implementation! Junk RPMS-PPST!” the teachers demanded. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
