AS part of the agency’s efforts to provide every need of teachers amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) is set to release the P5,000 cash allowance of classroom teachers for the school year (SY) 2021-2022.
“With the help of Congress, the department is continuously pushing for better financial support for our public-school teachers. This year is actually the start of the staggered increase for our teachers’ cash allowance who are truly committed to deliver quality education despite the pandemic,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said after the DepEd and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) issued a Joint Circular (JC) on the implementation of DepEd-Office of the Secretary Special Provision 11 for fiscal year 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA) on cash allowance.
In the JC, classroom teachers will receive a P5,000 cash allowance intended for the purchase of teaching supplies and materials, tangible or intangible; for the conduct of various modes of learning, Internet, and other communication expenses; and for their annual medical examination expense.
Cash allowance shall be given to entitled public-school teachers not earlier than the official start of every school year or as may be decided by the Education Secretary or designated authorities in cases of emergencies.
Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla mentioned that the date of the opening of classes is important for the release of the cash allowance.
“Importante po na magkaroon tayo ng desisyon kung kailan ’yung susunod na school year calendar dahil ihahanda din po namin sa finance ang pagbibigay ng cash allowance para sa ating mga guro [It is important for us to decide the schedule of the next school calendar year so that we can prepare the distribution of the cash allowance]. Last year, it is P3,500, but this year this is now P5,000. Also there is transportation and teaching aid allowance for our Alternative Learning Service [ALS] teachers,” Sevilla said.
The circular will cover all permanent and provisional public-school teachers, including ALS Mobile and District ALS Coordinators, in all public elementary, junior, and senior high schools, and community learning centers.
In line with this, teachers who are in service in the department as of the official first day of the school year up to 30 calendar days after the start of school year are entitled to full cash allowance, while teachers whose assumption to duty is beyond 30 days after the school year will also be entitled to such but on a pro-rata basis.
Meanwhile, public-school teachers with no teaching load, absence without leave, who are on an indefinite leave of absence, maternity leave, study leave, guilty of any offense in connection with their work, and those who no longer in service as of the official start of the school year are not entitled to the grant of the cash allowance.
However, those who resume their duties after their leave and are assigned with at least one teaching load with the current school year will be entitled to cash allowance on a pro-rata basis.
The pro-rated payment of the cash allowance will be based on the date of assumption to the duty from the date of opening of classes.
Those who assumed duties within the first 30 days will receive 100 percent of allowance amounting to P5,000; 80 percent or P4,000 for those after the first 30 days but not more than 90 days; 50 percent or P2,500 for those after 90 days but not more than 150 days; and 20 percent or P1,000 for those after 150 days until the end of the school year.
DepEd also showcased its #MeronAko campaign, in line with the recent observance of Menstrual Hygiene Day recently.
DepEd’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools Program, or WinS #MeronAko campaign focuses on educating learners, teachers, and schools about Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM).
The MHM refers to women and adolescent girls using clean hygienic materials to absorb and collect menstrual blood. It also includes having access to facilities where they can clean themselves and change menstrual pads in privacy.
Image credits: DepEd