A GROUP of teachers yesterday asked the Manila City Schools Division Office to explain a memorandum regarding the completion of some tasks scheduled next month that the group said contradicted an order issued by Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Duterte last February providing for the mandatory vacation of teachers for the entire month of June.
Teachers Dignity Coalition-National Capital Region President Nono Enguerra asked the city schools division to clarify its order regarding the submission by teachers of the Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form or IPCRF “on or before June 10, 2024.”
“The DepEd-Manila Memorandum released by Schools Division Superintendent Rita Riddle on May 6, 2024, appears to contradict the directive from the DepEd Central Office,” Enguerra said, referring to DepEd Order No.3, Series of 2024 issued by Duterte.
“It is clear that the intention of the Central Office and our Vice President and Secretary Duterte is that teachers should not be required to return or report to school from June 1 to June 30, but this directive from SDO Manila contradicts the DepEd order,” Enguerra added.
Jim Lester Beleno, president of the Roxas High School Faculty Club, said aside from Duterte’s order, another memorandum signed by DepEd Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo and Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas also made it clear that teachers are on a “mandatory 30-day vacation from June 1 to June 30, 2024” and will not be required to report to their respective schools to do any work, whether required or not.
“While we recognize the necessity of submitting the IPCRF, which forms the basis of DepEd employees’ performance ratings, it should not be required during a period specifically designated by Secretary Duterte as a time for rest,” Beleno, who is also the TDC-NCR spokesperson, said, adding that a memorandum issued by DepEd Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral on February 22 on the IPCRF clearly stated that it should be finished between July 1 and July 12.
“Hence, the recent SDO Manila directive plainly contradicts the earlier memoranda mentioned, which remained effective,” Beleno added.
