LAWMAKER SEEKS INTERNET ALLOWANCE FOR TEACHERS

ASSISTANT Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro on Sunday maintained that teachers need internet allowance to implement the blended mode of learning in the upcoming school year.

He was reacting to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) statement that there was no basis to give teachers internet or load allowance.

She stressed that implementing the blended learning approaches in distance learning through modules and online classes required internet connection.

“Both methods require teachers to have internet connections for their training, online classes and other output. With the already measly salaries of public school teachers barely able to provide for their personal needs and that of their families, government must provide the necessary tools and gadgets to be able to perform their duties in the proposed new modes of teaching,” Castro said.

“Saying that there is simply no basis for DepEd to provide teachers a monthly internet allowance is simply insensitive. The DepEd cannot deny the need of teachers to access the internet to comply with DepEd requirements is basis enough for the DepEd to provide for a monthly internet allowance for teachers,” she added.

The lawmaker claimed that the P3,500chalk allowance would not be enough to pay for a good internet connection for the whole school year.

“Chalk allowances or teaching supplies allowances are only given once a year to classroom teachers. Monthly internet allowances should cover all teachers, especially in the proposed modes of teaching of the DepEd,” she said.

Castro stressed that aside from online training sessions, teachers would need to use the internet for digital messaging with students. She pointed out that internet allowances could fall under communication allowance in the maintenance and other operating expenses of schools.

“Teachers are frontliners too, so government should ensure that they are supplied with sufficient PPEs (personal protective equipment) and adequate allowances to continue with the programs of the DepEd,” she said.

Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo said some teachers did not know where to access modules from the DepEd. The teachers are also appealing for funding on printing of the modules.

“This week siguro (maybe), or Monday or Tuesday, ipapadala ko sa DepEd iyong gist ng aming pinag-usapan (I will send the gist of our discussion to DepEd). Pero, basically...ang sinasabi nila hindi sila handa at humihingi sila ng tulong from DepEd na maalalayan sila (But, basically, what they are saying is they are not prepared and they are asking for assistance from DepEd),” she said in her weekly radio show on Sunday.