(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — Public school teachers will be granted 30-day rest period with no volunteer work in between at the end of academic year 2023-2024, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said on Wednesday.
Duterte said this is part of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to support educators in line with the country’s National Teachers’ Month celebration.
“We make sure that in this year’s school calendar, teachers will have 30 straight days of rest during the break without any DepEd activity that requires volunteer work. On activities with voluntary participation, it will be scheduled after the 30-day break,” she said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Aside from the 30-day break, Duterte said DepEd also inked an agreement with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to address teachers’ concerns about their loans’ accrued interest and to improve their financial situation.
Moreover, the agency would open 3,500 Administrative Officer positions and 1,500 Project Development Officer positions in public schools to aid teachers in their administrative tasks.
“Soon, you will be relieved from the administrative responsibilities that prevent you from focusing or enhancing our students’ learning,” Duterte said.
DepEd said this year’s National Teachers’ Month’s theme is “Together4Teachers,” which underscores the importance of teachers and their service to shaping the minds of citizens and nation-building.
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