TEACHERS group urged the Department of Education to conduct a broad consultations and thorough study before shifting to a trimester school calendar.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) stressed that reforms affecting the academic calendar must be carefully examined to avoid unintended disruptions in schools.
“We recognize the need for reforms to improve learning conditions, but any proposal as significant as shifting to a trimester system must undergo genuine consultation with stakeholders, especially teachers, parents and learners and be backed by a comprehensive study before it is implemented or even publicly declared,” Benjo Basas, TDC national chairperson said.
The group emphasized that teachers, who will be directly affected by changes in workload, scheduling and classroom delivery, should be involved in policy discussions, alongside parents and students who will also bear the impact of the shift.
TDC reiterated that any measure seeking to reform the education sector must consider the welfare of teachers.
The group also underscored that proposals to upgrade teachers’ salaries, particularly the call for a P15,000 across-the-board increase should be prioritized, and urged the appropriations and basic education committees of both houses of Congress to begin deliberations on these measures.
“Any measure that seeks to institutionalize reforms in the education sector must place the rights and welfare of teachers in paramount consideration, otherwise, even the most well-intentioned programs will fall short of their purpose,” Basas said.
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