The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) is calling on the Department of Education (DepEd) to fast-track the hiring of 16,000 new teachers before the school year begins on June 16.
ACT National Chairperson Vladimir Quetua said that while they welcome the announcement, the number of new teaching items still falls short of what’s needed to ease overcrowded classrooms and reduce teacher workload.
“Wine-welcome natin ’yan kasi napakalaki talaga ng kakulangan ng Department of Education — particularly pa lang po sa pagtuturo,” he said in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo.
DepEd earlier said the 16,000 positions are part of the 20,000 teaching items approved under the 2025 General Appropriations Act. Education Secretary Sonny Angara explained that this move aims to address the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reduce class sizes and lighten teacher workload.
Despite this, Quetua stressed that the country needs to hire more than 100,000 teachers to meet global standards. He cited overcrowded classrooms, with some teachers handling up to 83 students.
“Imagine kung nagtuturo ka ng 83 [students], pagtatawag pa lang ng pangalan e, kukulangin na. Paano pa ’yung ibang gawain sa pagtuturo?” he said.
He added that some public schools, especially in Quezon City, are forced to conduct Saturday classes due to teacher and classroom shortages.
Quetua also raised concerns about delays in the hiring process, citing his own experience. “Ako’y nag-demo ng Marso, ako’y tatawagan Agosto, pero ako’y magkakaroon ng plantilla position ng September,” he said.
He urged both DepEd and the Department of Budget and Management to immediately open the 16,000 to 20,000 new slots, saying that schools should ideally welcome at least 4,000 new teachers by June.
While teacher education programs produce enough graduates, Quetua said many opt to work abroad or shift careers because of limited plantilla positions.
The ACT also appealed to 2025 midterm election winners to prioritize teachers’ welfare, especially amid ongoing reforms in the education system. DepEd is set to implement a revised senior high school curriculum by school year 2025–2026, cutting core subjects from 15 to five.
ACT supports the curriculum changes but warned of the continued lack of educational materials. Quetua said many students rely on digital content due to the absence of printed books and modules.
“Talagang umasa po kami karamihan sa social media,” he said.