MANILA, Philippines – Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile made a commitment that he will push for the passage of a draft bill that aims to increase the salary of private school teachers through government subsidy.
Enrile made the promise in front of hundreds of school teachers and said that he will heed the clamor of private school teachers for wage increase.
Enrile, whose first profession was a law school teacher in Far Eastern University during the 1960’s, attended the Lipa Archdiocesan Catholic School Association (LIDICSA) Festival of Teachers (LIFT) at the Canossa Academy in Batangas.
The forum was attended by more than 2,000 teachers from 40 Catholic schools in the province of Batangas.
LIDICSA President, Rev. Father Ricardo Panganiban said they are looking at endorsing the draft bill to at least 6 congressmen in Batangas to ask their support to pass the bill in the Lower House.
Panganiban explained that after Senator Sonny Angara's push to increase the pay of public school teachers, migration of teachers from private school to public has risen. He said, “We cannot raise the tuition fee of private education so that we can match the salary of the public (teachers), we cannot deny that we contribute the national building by producing excellent young professional because most of them came from private education.”
Panganiban said that the only way to resolve the disparity in the salaries of public and private school teachers is through a law. He said, “Walang solusyon dito kundi legislation na tutulungan ng gobyerno ang private education para magsurvive.”
During the forum, it was discussed that private schools have only become “training grounds” for teachers because after a few years, they would seek employment in the government.
Last year, Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) president Joel Tabora also shared his concern on the migration of teachers from private to public schools. He said that it is “slowly killing private education system in the country.”
CEAP legal counsel Joseph Noel Estrada urged the government to pass a law that will grant all private school teachers the same compensation and ranking scheme to those in the public school.
“What we’re saying is that the same compensation classification and ranking scheme that they adopt in the public schools should be given the same way to the private schools,” he added.
Estrada clarified that this will should be done with the help of government subsidies. He said, “Government subsidy to private school teachers is doable, noting an existing law that provides government assistance to students and teachers in private education.”
Estrada said that private school teachers should also be given the same support that public school teachers get from the government. He said, “They perform the same public service function, which is education. They take part in the delivery of education. They deserve support.”
“And this subsidy goes directly to the teachers, not to the schools,” Estrada assured.
Estrada noted that the disparity in the teachers’ salaries is quite huge and could go as high as a difference of P10,000 per month. A public school entry-level teacher receives around P20,000 per month while in some private schools teachers’ receive as low as P8,000.
— Sally, The Summit Express
Enrile made the promise in front of hundreds of school teachers and said that he will heed the clamor of private school teachers for wage increase.
Enrile, whose first profession was a law school teacher in Far Eastern University during the 1960’s, attended the Lipa Archdiocesan Catholic School Association (LIDICSA) Festival of Teachers (LIFT) at the Canossa Academy in Batangas.
The forum was attended by more than 2,000 teachers from 40 Catholic schools in the province of Batangas.
LIDICSA President, Rev. Father Ricardo Panganiban said they are looking at endorsing the draft bill to at least 6 congressmen in Batangas to ask their support to pass the bill in the Lower House.
Panganiban explained that after Senator Sonny Angara's push to increase the pay of public school teachers, migration of teachers from private school to public has risen. He said, “We cannot raise the tuition fee of private education so that we can match the salary of the public (teachers), we cannot deny that we contribute the national building by producing excellent young professional because most of them came from private education.”
Panganiban said that the only way to resolve the disparity in the salaries of public and private school teachers is through a law. He said, “Walang solusyon dito kundi legislation na tutulungan ng gobyerno ang private education para magsurvive.”
During the forum, it was discussed that private schools have only become “training grounds” for teachers because after a few years, they would seek employment in the government.
Last year, Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) president Joel Tabora also shared his concern on the migration of teachers from private to public schools. He said that it is “slowly killing private education system in the country.”
CEAP legal counsel Joseph Noel Estrada urged the government to pass a law that will grant all private school teachers the same compensation and ranking scheme to those in the public school.
“What we’re saying is that the same compensation classification and ranking scheme that they adopt in the public schools should be given the same way to the private schools,” he added.
Estrada clarified that this will should be done with the help of government subsidies. He said, “Government subsidy to private school teachers is doable, noting an existing law that provides government assistance to students and teachers in private education.”
Estrada said that private school teachers should also be given the same support that public school teachers get from the government. He said, “They perform the same public service function, which is education. They take part in the delivery of education. They deserve support.”
“And this subsidy goes directly to the teachers, not to the schools,” Estrada assured.
Estrada noted that the disparity in the teachers’ salaries is quite huge and could go as high as a difference of P10,000 per month. A public school entry-level teacher receives around P20,000 per month while in some private schools teachers’ receive as low as P8,000.
— Sally, The Summit Express
