The Department of Education (DepEd) said Monday that it was finding ways to help teachers in small private schools with financial aid as the coronavirus crisis continues to upend life.
DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said she consulted acting National Economic and Development Authority Director General Karl Kendrick Chua on how private school teachers can be provided with financial assistance.
The NEDA chief, according to Briones, said private school teachers can avail of the government’s cash assistance for workers of small businesses.
“It was suggested that we can seek assistance through helping employees of small businesses,” Briones said in a virtual press briefing.
“[He said] we do it the same way for other small businesses, because we are referring to small schools,” she added.
The DepEd will focus on providing aid for teachers of “small schools,” Briones said. Managements of such schools will be asked to submit a list of teachers who may be qualified for the cash grant.
“Ang focus dito (the focus here) are teachers of small schools who cannot be paid,” the education secretary said.
Briones cited as example teachers who cannot be paid unless classes are ongoing.
The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) earlier called for financial assistance for private school teachers given as the COVID-19 crisis persists given that most private schools are dependent on tuition for their salaries.
COCOPEA Managing Director Joseph Noel Estrada said with the pandemic, “many private schools would resort to extreme measures to avoid closure such as placing school personnel on floating status without pay, non-renewal of contracts, and even retrenchment.”
READ: Private school teachers need cash aid during COVID-19 crisis: group
Photo: Web File
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Thanks for this article..the moment I heard my name as one among the lay-off employees in a private institute my heart sank..couldn’t breath honestly. I cried just like theres no more hope. I was in deep search of grace now..
There is definitely a need to assist the private schools in the country. When d LGU went around to screen who will qualify for SAP, teachers were automatically disqualified (even from private schls). We applied for DOLE as what d pres said we do. We were informed we were approved in April, only to find out beginning of May that they dont have funds anymore. Probbly bec they prioritized NCR first (our school is in Tayabas, Quezon). Imagine the dismay of the teachers. With the opening in Aug. 24, most of our parents are afraid to send back their kids to school. Most of them also lost their livelyhood during d ECQ, and are also not sure if they can still send their kids to the private schools. It would be an outright disregard for the private schools if the government will not give us aid. We also don’t know if all Priavate school personnel could still go back to work come August. May the government not forget this important sector in our society, because if they do, that will be the death of us.