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Abra teachers suffer same woes

BAGUIO CITY (May 19) — Lack of school facilities and low salaries remain to be the common problem of public school teachers in Lacub, Malibcong and Bangued towns in Abra as revealed during the workshops in the three-day summer training held in Lacub Central School last May 11 to 13.

Common problems that surfaced are the lack of classrooms, books, desks and teachers as well. The teachers added that they use obsolete teaching materials and have but dilapidated facilities. Some hold their classes under trees. Many handle two or more grade levels in one classroom.

The teachers also said their low salaries and benefits are often delayed. As of May 18, their salaries for April and May this year has not yet been given. Aside from this, the teachers also complained of low and unequal hardship allowances.

With the theme “Empowering teachers towards a more relevant education in the Cordillera”, the said activity aimed at reorienting the content and process of education to make it more responsive to the needs and problems of the community.

The training was co-sponsored by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Metro Baguio, the Educators Forum for Development (EfD) and the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd)-Lacub. A faculty member from Saint Louis University (SLU) and a staff of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance were also invited as discussants.

The training was conducted on the invitation of the district supervisor as recommended by the teachers’ during the regional seminar-workshop held in Baguio City last year.

Discussions on the country’s education situation and other concerns of teachers as women and as members of indigenous communities enlivened the training. Teachers were also asked to make creative presentations aimed at gauging their awareness and appreciation of their situation as teachers, as women and as members of indigenous communities.

An input on teaching skills and techniques reflective of the transformative role of teachers was also provided and before the end of the activity, the ACT orientation on “taking that first step”, to organize themselves was discussed.

Local government and Department of Education (DepEd) officials also attended. Sanggunian Bayan Member Luis Viste and Lacub District Principal Mrs. Segundina F. Banatao attended the opening program while Honorable Mayor Cesar Baroña and Vice Mayor Lysander Baroña attended the closing program. # Connie Sulang/ACT-MB

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