MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education is currently concerned on where will they be getting the funds to pay for their newly-hired teachers.
Pending the approval of the 2019 national budget, DepEd admitted that the reenacted budget they are currently working on isn't enough. The source of funding to pay the 80,000 teachers needed to be hired for the coming school year is still unclear.
Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla explained that the funding for the newly-hired teachers were not part of the allocation of the previous year’s budget.
Sevilla said, “There’s no funding allocation for these newly hired teachers because we are only given a funding allocation for the 2018 level, so you can imagine...our budget does not include our newcomers.”
The education agency is currently finding solutions to stretch the resources they have at hand. Sevilla said that they have utilized funds from teachers who resigned or did not attend work to instead pay for salaries of current teachers. She assured that the salaries of teachers is their priority.
The DepEd undersecretary warned that they will be in bigger trouble if the national budget fails to be passed soon. Sevilla said, “This is just temporary. If this will happen for the entire year, then there is really a big problem for DepEd because we are also hiring new ones (teachers).”
“That is why it is very important for us to have the 2019 General Appropriations Act because...[it] is higher in funding allocation and we will not need to make internal arrangements anymore," she added.
April is critical to DepEd's funding, Sevilla reiterated. Around 300,000 employees are expected to receive their productivity enhancement benefits and midyear bonuses by April. Teachers will also be needing their P3,500 chalk allowance just before classes begin.
Sevilla clarified that they will still push through with filling up the 80,000 teacher vacancies. She said that in the worst cases, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has a “Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF)” they can use. However, the number of personnel to be hired “will depend on the funding availability”.
— Sally, The Summit Express
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| DepEd is stretching its budget but funds for new teachers remain unclear | Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Department of Education |
Pending the approval of the 2019 national budget, DepEd admitted that the reenacted budget they are currently working on isn't enough. The source of funding to pay the 80,000 teachers needed to be hired for the coming school year is still unclear.
Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla explained that the funding for the newly-hired teachers were not part of the allocation of the previous year’s budget.
Sevilla said, “There’s no funding allocation for these newly hired teachers because we are only given a funding allocation for the 2018 level, so you can imagine...our budget does not include our newcomers.”
The education agency is currently finding solutions to stretch the resources they have at hand. Sevilla said that they have utilized funds from teachers who resigned or did not attend work to instead pay for salaries of current teachers. She assured that the salaries of teachers is their priority.
The DepEd undersecretary warned that they will be in bigger trouble if the national budget fails to be passed soon. Sevilla said, “This is just temporary. If this will happen for the entire year, then there is really a big problem for DepEd because we are also hiring new ones (teachers).”
“That is why it is very important for us to have the 2019 General Appropriations Act because...[it] is higher in funding allocation and we will not need to make internal arrangements anymore," she added.
April is critical to DepEd's funding, Sevilla reiterated. Around 300,000 employees are expected to receive their productivity enhancement benefits and midyear bonuses by April. Teachers will also be needing their P3,500 chalk allowance just before classes begin.
Sevilla clarified that they will still push through with filling up the 80,000 teacher vacancies. She said that in the worst cases, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has a “Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF)” they can use. However, the number of personnel to be hired “will depend on the funding availability”.
— Sally, The Summit Express
