Private school teachers are among those who are heavily affected by the crisis brought about by COVID-19. Due to delayed enrollment and operations, private schools are struggling to keep up and to stay afloat in time for the next school year. While the government promises to extend help to those who lost their jobs, most of the private school teachers are denied the assistance and are not qualified to receive amelioration.
As the education sector gears for the shift to blended and online learning in lieu of face-to-face classes, the economic tightening is undeniably affecting teachers of private schools. To fend for their families, many have resorted to selling food and stuff online, others have resorted to online jobs, and other alternative sources of income.
The resolution passed last week by Councilor Pilar Braga appealing to the national government to extend financial assistance to private school teachers is a lifeline for the teachers deprived of income today. The councilor observed that “though recently there has been good news covering some problems of public and private school students, nowhere is the plight of the private school teachers responded to, alleviated, or have found assistance; they are one sector of our society which have been greatly affected by COVID 19 pandemic.”
A former educator, Braga understands fully well the situation of the private education sector. The Department of Education, the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations and the Federation of Associations of Private School Administrators (FAPSA) have recognized the need for urgent financial support to teachers. Private schools across the country are teetering on the brink of closing down operations, most of them letting go of their teaching force.
The resolution filed was to “urgently request the Office of the President to extend financial assistance to the private elementary, secondary and senior high school teachers who are in dire need due to the current pandemic, recognizing the plight of the private education sector amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Department of Education (DepEd) is seeking support for private school teachers who are affected by the pandemic.”
