In 1994, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed October 5 to be World Teachers’ Day.
It is a global event that commemorates the adoption of the 1966 UNESCO recommendation on the status of teachers, which sets the standards on teachers’ rights and responsibilities, their initial preparation, further education, recruitment, employment, and learning conditions.
In the Philippines, there are more than 800,000 teachers distributed in 15 regions of the country, including the Cordillera Administrative Region and the National Capital Region. Based on the 2021 Salary Grade Table for DepEd Teachers, a Teacher I has a Salary Grade of 11 and received P23,877 monthly compensation while a Teacher II has a Salary Grade of 12 and takes home P26,052 at the end of the month. A Teacher III belongs to Salary 13, or equivalent to a P28,276 monthly pay.
The pay for a Master Teacher, of course, is higher, with Master Teacher III receiving as much as P54,251, while a Head Teacher III gets P36,628. For the principals, the salaries range from P48,313 to P68,415.
At a glance, it is easy to say that teachers somewhat get decent pay, especially if they get promoted. But beyond the compensation, teachers face everyday loads of work and responsibilities. Classroom teachers, particularly those in the elementary schools, have to deal with maximum number of students and they belong to the lowest rank of the Salary Grade.
In her message to the teachers on World Teachers’ Day, Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones emphasized the importance of teachers in nation-building. She said the resilience and innovativeness of teachers are crucial factors in delivering quality education to Filipino children, particularly, with the pandemic in our midst.
Briones assured that the DepEd will earnestly look for more ways to support and match the efforts of the teachers in their respective schools and communities. She added that steps were taken to provide more benefits to the teachers, such as additional salary grades and opportunities for professional growth.
We can only hope that the words of encouragement of Secretary Briones will be equaled with actual benefits. The teachers have been recipients of accolades, tributes and love from all sectors for their noble tasks. It is about time that all these are substantially translated into benefits that will boost their morale, not just on World Teachers’ Day. – NND
