The joy of public service

Public service is not a walk in the park. It has a corresponding bigger responsibility than those in the private sectors, for the multitudes of those we are serving belong to those who are really in need. The government has not neglected its duties to provide the state workers with the salaries and wages, benefits and bonuses that each hardworking employee deserves. But despite all those significant reforms, a number have been unappreciative of what has been happening in the government particularly in its biggest bureaucracy, the Department of Education (DepEd).

In keeping with her 10-point agenda, DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones’s 10-Point Agenda, recognizes every profession’s need for conducive working condition. That is why she continuously reviews and reduces the workload of its teaching personnel as part of its expansion of employee welfare.

DepEd is continuously working to simplify the processes and reduce forms. However, the Department maintains that these reviews are being conducted not to eliminate reporting entirely but to ensure that the data collected are not compromised and are integral to proper assessment, planning, and allocation of resources and intervention.

Reports that are properly done and validated by concerned monitors will guide the teachers and the Department to identify areas of improvement and set the direction for evidence-based decisions to aid in the delivery of quality basic education. It is not intended to give teachers additional burden.

According to the press release of DepEd, the review consists of a series of consultations with field representatives, teachers, school heads and regional supervisors. Third-level officials, which starts from the level of Assistant Superintendent and up who used to be teachers, have attested that the preparation of reports has become simplified and efficient over the years.

To date, two phases of DepEd’s review comprise of the creation of simplified school forms, standardization of format, updating and reduction of data needed in existing school forms, and making the most of the available technology and information system.

In view of the continuous efforts, the Department has reduced 36 common school forms to 10 official school forms, which already include forms for Senior High School, and has streamlined processes – minimizing duplication and redundancy of data, and diminishing time and effort spent by teachers on work preparations.

It cannot also be denied that varying forms required by different agencies for diverse purposes continue to emerge. That is why DepEd is relentless in conducting reviews that will further simplify the forms and processes, thereby enabling teachers to focus more on teaching.

The purpose of all these efforts is to come out with a template that can be used universally so DepEd is also looking into interventions such as talks with teachers and process owners to consider data sharing instead of creating separate forms, and the possible creation of non-teaching items to prepare administrative and management reports.