Gatchalian to quiz DepEd on unfilled teaching positions

Ahead of the Senate deliberations of the Department of Education's (DepEd) proposed 2024 budget, Senator Win Gatchalian said he will raise the recurring issues on the hiring of teachers.

Gatchalian has repeatedly urged the DepEd to speed up its hiring process. Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reveals that as of February 17, 2023, there are 24,254 unfilled teaching positions in the DepEd. This is equivalent to almost 3% of the DepEd's 879,789 teaching positions. The bigger portion of these unfilled positions are entry-level positions such as Teacher I, Special Science Teacher I, Special Education Teacher I, and Master Teacher I.

The DepEd previously said that the hiring process, which also involves the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the DBM, usually takes six months.

The Commission on Audit (COA) also took note that while the DepEd was able to obligate 95% of its total adjustment allotments of P658.5 billion in its 2022 budget, the unutilized balance of P32.6 billion can be attributed to unfilled teaching positions, as well as the delayed, partial, and non-implementation of various programs, activities, and projects.

In a Senate basic education hearing, Gatchalian also pointed to the number of schools that do not have enough teachers for School Year (SY) 2022-2023 based on DepEd data and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. Out of 39,186 total schools for Kindergarten to Grade 6, 9% (3,505) have insufficient teachers. Twenty-four percent (2,412) of 10,188 junior high schools, and 34% (2,522) of 7,520 senior high schools do not have enough teachers.

"It's really unjustifiable that our classrooms are not staffed with teachers when there are available positions and funding for those teachers. We really need to improve the process and during the budget hearing, I plan to raise what reforms they have undertaken," said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Kakukalangan sa mga guro ipasusuri ni Gatchalian sa pagtalakay ng 2024 national budget

Sa pagtalakay ng panukalang budget ng Department of Education (DepEd) sa taong 2024, ipasusuri ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang nagpapatuloy na mga isyu sa pag-hire ng mga guro.

Matatandaang ilang beses nang hinimok ni Gatchalian ang DepEd na pabilisin ang proseso sa pag-hire ng mga guro. Batay sa datos mula sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM) nitong Pebrero 17, 2023, lumalabas na may 24,254 na unfilled teaching positions o kulang na mga guro, katumbas ng 3% ng 879,789 teaching positions sa DepEd. Karamihan sa mga hindi napupunang posisyon ay mga entry-level positions tulad ng Teacher I, Special Science Teacher I, Special Education Teacher I, at Master Teacher I.

Ayon sa DepEd, madalas inaabot ng anim na buwan ang proseso ng hiring kasama ang Civil Service Commission (CSC) at ang DBM.

Iniulat din kamakailan ng Commission on Audit (COA) na bagama't umabot sa 95% ng kabuuang P658.5 bilyon total adjustment allotments ng 2022 national budget ang nagastos ng DepEd, may hindi pa nagagamit na 32.6 bilyon ang ahensya. Hindi nagalaw ang pondong ito dahil sa mga hindi napupunang teaching positions, pati na rin ang mga delayed, partial, at hindi naipapatupad na mga programa, aktibidad, at proyekto ng ahensya.

Sa isang pagdinig, pinuna rin ni Gatchalian ang bilang ng mga paaralan na walang sapat na mga guro para sa School Year (SY) 2022-2023 batay sa datos ng DepEd at Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. Sa 39,186 na mga paaralan para sa Kindergarten hanggang Grade 6, 9% (3,505) ang may kakulangan sa guro. Dalawampu't apat na porsyento (2,412) sa 10,188 junior high schools, at 34% (2,522) sa 7,520 senior high schools ang may kakulangan sa guro.

"Hindi katanggap-tanggap na may mga silid-aralan tayong kulang sa mga guro, lalo na't may available position naman at pondo para sa mga gurong ito. Kailangan nating ayusin ang proseso at sa nalalapit na budget hearing, aalamin natin kung ano nang mga reporma ang kanilang ginawa," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.