Solon doubts Deped’s claim of zero backlog

MANILA--A party-list representative on Thursday doubted the Department of Education’s (DepEd) claim of a “zero backlog” in classrooms, textbooks and teachers, saying severe shortages in these basic inputs will meet public school children during school opening.

ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said that there is still a shortage of 46,567 teacher items and 32,844 classrooms when public schools open this June.

“Government cannot claim that the teacher shortage has been addressed when it relies on 89,807 contractual and grossly exploited teachers, who are paid far below the minimum wage with no benefits and no job security,” he added.

Tinio noted that DepEd continues to rely on 35,449 volunteer Kindergarten teachers, 4,828 mobile teachers and coordinators, and 49,530 teachers funded by local government units.

These teaching personnel, he added, are paid less than their DepEd-funded counterparts and have no benefits or job security.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said teacher and classroom shortages will be erased “by the end of 2013” with the help of interventions from local governments, the private sector, and foreign assistance.

Reports say DepEd is building 34,131 classrooms and hiring 61,510 additional teaching personnel for the school year 2013 to 2014. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)