Cebu City sets aside P86M for public school teachers

PUBLIC elementary and high school teachers in Cebu City can expect some financial assistance from the city government next year.

The city’s executive department proposed P86 million worth of programs for public school teachers in the city under the proposed P7.2 billion annual budget for next year.

Of that amount, P56 million will be allocated to the teachers’ financial assistance program while the P30 million will be for the teachers’ upgrading program.

Councilor Nendell Hanz Abella, deputy mayor for education, said the financial assistance program is mandated by a city ordinance approved by the city this year.

Under the ordinance, public school teachers will get P10,000 every year from the city government.

The teacher’s upgrading program seeks to provide continuing education for public school teachers.

More than 500 teachers can avail of the upgrading program.

While the city will fund the program, Abella said the DepEd Cebu City Schools Division will set the guidelines and screen the beneficiaries.

The budget for both programs are included under the proposed annual budget’s general fund.

Abella said these programs cannot be charged under the city’s Special Education Fund since it is prohibited by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Based on a DepEd list, there are 2,287 teachers, 91 school administrators and 22 special education (SPED) teachers in elementary schools in the city.