DepEd: No performance monitoring policies suspension

The Department of Education (DepEd) has rejected calls to suspend the implementation of policies aimed at monitoring the performance of public school teachers.

Responding to concerns that the policies result in additional work to teachers, the DepEd said it could not arbitrarily suspend the implementation of its Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) as it is a legal requirement in accordance with a 2012 memorandum of the Civil Service Commission.

It also defended the requirement for daily lesson logs and detailed lesson plans, stressing the crucial role of well-prepared and well-planned lessons in the delivery of quality teaching and learning in schools.

“The DepEd maintains that lesson planning is a core skill developed by a professional teacher during pre-service training and undergraduate preparation,” the government agency said.

The DepEd also stressed the importance of classroom observations, saying it is used for mentoring, coaching, and performance review and evaluation which support the teachers’ continuing professional development.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguard the welfare of our employees – teachers and non-teaching personnel alike – and we are relentless in our pursuit to better serve our stakeholders, primarily the Filipino learners,” it said.

The DepEd also noted its ongoing review of policies on teachers’ workload, including the type and magnitude of ancillary tasks they perform.

“An initial solution is the creation of non-teaching positions in schools to be requested from the Department of Budget and Management,” it said.

“The DepEd’s series of reviews has likewise resulted in the reduction and standardization of school forms, updating and reduction of data needed, and maximized utilization of available technology and information system. It will also collaborate with teachers and process owners to consider data sharing,” it added.

As this developed, members of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) has organized a picket in front of the DepEd central office in Pasig City to protest the supposed heavy workload of teachers.

TDC chairman Benjo Basas said they are not calling for the removal of the policies, but only a temporary suspension to pave way for consulations.

“We never asked the DepEd to entirely prohibit lesson planning, class observations and performance assessment tool, for we also recognize that these are incidental to our teaching duties. What we ask for is only a suspension of work policies perceived by teachers as excessive and burdensome, even for a month,” he said.

“It will give our teachers a breathing space and the DepEd management an opportunity to call for a genuine consultation with the presence of classroom teachers. It will probably help improve the implementation of these policies,” he added.