IS IT SIX?

Charmain A. Tulabut

Is it 6 hours, 7 hours, or 8 hours? The number of hours of stay of public school teachers in the school is a long time issue. It is a never ending issue. In order to clarify this, here are the rulings about the so-called number of hours.

Article 3 of RA 4670 (The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers) discusses the Hours of Work of Public School Teachers. It is reflected that teachers should render six (6) hours of actual teaching.

This may be is equal to having six teaching loads and special assignment such as an advisory class or coordinatorship in a specific area or in a special program. The Civil Service Commission ruled out that all government employees who include the public school teachers should serve eight (8) working hours and this excludes lunch break.

This is reiterated in CSC Resolution.

There were three (3) points emphasized in this resolution. First, public school teachers are not exempted in the 8 working hours; second, the 6 actual teaching hours; and third, the remaining two (2) hours may be spent in other teaching - related activities such as paper works, home visitations etc. The Department of Education reinforced this CSC Resolution with Deped Memorandum No. 291, s 2008.

This memorandum discussed how the 8 hours can be maximized and public school teachers.

The enumerated activities shall complete the 8 – hour mandate as guided by the DepEd Memorandum. As described in the memorandum, teaching loads including advisorship and special assignments for the entire academic year combined shall be considered as one teaching load; and the remaining hours is allotted for teaching related activities that can be spent at home or anywhere.

Teachers should understand that school heads as a school administrators are bound to implement the mandates of the Department of Education.

They are guided with policies.

If teachers have to go out of the school, for example, to conduct home visitations, and other activities to complete the 8 hours mandate for public school teachers, the following should be submitted the day after the teacher reported back to the school: properly documented accomplishment report and duly signed and certified to be true and correct by the proper authorities. As teachers and public servants, we are bound by rules and orders in performing our duties and responsibilities.

As a teacher, we should remember that teaching profession is a vocation. And efforts are for the betterment of our students and our country.

*** ** at Sindalan High School

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is Teacher

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