THE Department of Education yesterday emphasized the promotion of professionalism among teachers and school personnel, discouraging them from interacting with their students on social media or establishing a relationship outside of the school setting.
DepEd spokesman Atty. Michael Poa said Department Order 49, which mandates its personnel to avoid relationships and communication with learners outside of the school setting, does not violate or infringe on one’s right to free speech and free expression.
Poa, in a press conference, also said that DO 49 is actually a reiteration of the Code of Conduct for civil servants, which includes public school teachers.
“DO 49 seeks to, number one, depoliticize DepEd, number two… seeks to promote professionalism within our ranks. So, it’s not just for teachers, it’s also for DepEd personnel… In our view, there is no infringement of any basic rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of speech,” he said.
He added that DepEd is not preventing teachers or school personnel from requesting or obtaining support or endorsement from any third party in either the hiring, transfer, promotion, removal, personnel movement as well as in raising of issues or complaints against anyone, but they are encouraged to “raise issues and concerns regarding basic education via formal and appropriate DepEd channels, either directly to the Office of the Secretary or through the concerned Assistant Secretary or Undersecretary.”
House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT party-list last week raised concerns about DO 49, claiming that it was tantamount to violating the freedom of speech of teachers and school personnel.
Castro added that Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and Republic Act 7836 or the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994 are already in place to guide teachers on how they should conduct themselves.
Asked if teachers should now “unfriend” their students on social media, Poa said there is no such order yet.
He added the use of social media for communication of school matters or class instruction is still allowed.
“What do we want to discourage? It is the teachers and learners’ getting into a very personal relationship… there has to be a line, that’s why we’re promoting professionalism…
There has to be a line between the teacher and the learner, but we’re not discouraging the use of social media for classroom instruction and that’s why the word or the phrase ‘outside the school setting’ must be emphasized,” he said.
When asked about the case of the teachers who are “added” or “friend requested” by their students, Poa said that’s where “professionalism will come in.
“Just because a student added you does not mean that you would just accept it,” he said, adding that everyone has the discretion whether to accept or reject a friend request or follower in social media.
Following lockdowns as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, classes were done online with many teachers and students communicating through different social media applications.
Poa said 97.5 percent of public schools nationwide are now holding five-day face-to-face classes while 2.36 percent are still holding blended learning.
