74,000 Jobs for Teachers and Non-Teaching Personnel Displaced by K12

August 11 Update | Government hiring 142,000 teachers, health workers .

According to news report released by the Philippine Star, the government is hiring nearly 142,000 public school teachers and health workers this year and next year, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said yesterday.

He told the House appropriations committee chaired by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab that there is P8.9 billion in this year’s budget for the recruitment of 40,320 new teachers and P13.5 billion next year for an additional 62,320, for a total of 102,320 teaching personnel.

June 28 back story…

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in association with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is preparing at least 74,000 jobs for displaced teachers caused by implementation of K12 program, the agency said yesterday.

“Would-be displaced teaching personnel can fill the demand for some 30,000 new teaching positions in 2016 when the senior high school component of the K to 12 starts to be implemented. There is also a demand for 6,000 new non-teaching personnel in 2016 and another 30,000 teaching positions in 2017,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz disclosed.

Baldoz added that displaced teachers and non-teaching personnel will be prioritized over other job-seeking professionals. She added that the agency will exert all effort to find them comparable salaries and match them in their localities.

The labor chief also said non-teaching personnel could fill the 8,677 slots for registered career guidance counselors.

The government, Baldoz said, will also offer scholarships for graduate studies for personnel who want to pursue masters or doctoral degrees and will make available development grants to enhance personnel skills through training.

“We stand ready with our support, especially in implementing mitigation and safety measures to protect those who will be displaced during the transition which may only occur during the program’s first three years,” she said.

She added that DOLE will provide income augmentation assistance to teaching and non-teaching personnel – both permanent and casual – who will not be absorbed by the DepEd, for three months for probationary employees and a maximum period of six months for permanent employees.

Baldoz said displaced education workers may also avail themselves of skills and livelihood training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority together with start-up capital for new business ventures.

Baldoz said DOLE, in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), will also implement a five-year adjustment program for K to 12, with a budget of P1.1 billion.

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Armin Luistro is unfazed with the results of a recent survey showing that a majority of Filipinos do not want the K to 12 program, which will add two years of basic education in the country.

Many people still believe that K12 program is not a solution for the country’s poor education system noting that it will only add burden to both parents and students.

The implementation of K12 program causes overpopulation in classrooms because of lack of school buildings. DepEd has yet to build any school building that would help ease the implementation of the new education system.

/Carla Gamboa/

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