ADMIN TASK REMOVAL FOR TEACHERS, IS IT FOR REAL?

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I AT CANDABA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

DIANNE D. LACSINA

Too good to be true, right? Hoping it is for real! With the goal to help teachers focus more on teaching, the Department of Education (DepEd) introduced the DepEd Order No.002 Series of 2024. This is known as the “Immediate Removal of Administrative Tasks of Public School Teachers, “which is meant to take away extra tasks that aren’t about teacher’s daily routines. This is to let teachers spend more time and energy on what they should do best, that is teaching and guiding our learners,

Upon hearing the news, many of us teachers gave different reactions. Some felt a wave of relief and happiness while others just smiled and not convinced that it will happen. Yes, for years we’ve been bombarded with a lot of paperwork and other administrative duties wherein our time to improve the teaching and learning suffered. The plan sounds good but making it work might not be as simple as it seems. Not everyone believed this change is possible. School principals and heads are worried about and asking questions, if teachers stop doing these extra tasks, who will take them on? This question points a big challenge.

The goal of the policy is clear and noble, but the path of achieving it is filled with questions. It brings us to the crucial point on how and when can teachers truly be free from extra duties? School heads and teachers are right to wonder what the next step will be. Teachers need support not just in words but in action, so it is important for DepEd to listen to these concerns and find the best solutions. Only then can the policy make a real difference inside the classroom, make teachers jobs easier and more focused in teaching.