Education Secretary-nominee Juan Edgardo Angara is on the right track in preparing for his assumption as chief of the Department of Education (DepEd) by looking into the problems of teachers and the way they teach, which have a direct bearing on the growth of knowledge and skills of Filipino students.
A cursory observation has revealed for Angara—who will take over the helm of DepEd on July 19 when the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte from the department takes effect—that financial troubles, specifically low salaries and loan payments, are hindering the teachers’ classroom duties.
The incoming education secretary yesterday said he would push for easy loan access to teachers with low interest rates, adding this will help them concentrate on their jobs. Angara also said he is confident the salaries of teachers will increase “this year or next,” stressing they are included in the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).
In an interview with radio dyPM, Angara said it has come to his attention that teachers secure high-interest loans, which tie them up with financial institutions for years and adversely affect their teaching chores.
“Ang nakikita ko, for example, ‘yung mga nakukuha nilang mga loan, minsan natatali sila diyan nang matagal at minsan mataas ang interes (I have observed that teachers secure high interest loans from some financial institution which tie them up with the company for years),” Angara said.
Angara said he would talk with government financial institutions like the Government Service Insurance System, Landbank of the Philippines, and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Small Business Corporation to enable teachers to have easy access to low-interest loans.
At present, teachers can borrow as much as eight months’ worth of salary but not over P500,000. The interest rate is 10.5 percent and borrowers must have an existing account with LandBank.
Several surveys and studies have been made and validated that the majority of public school teachers are struggling financially, pressuring most of them to live a controlled and limited financial lifestyle. Moreover, teachers unconsciously practice informal debt, which causes uncontrolled debt.
But why are teachers suffering from personal debt problems? For what expenses are these loans allocated? Another study said teachers take out loans because of their perceived personal needs such as expenses for their wedding, expenses for the baby’s needs, tuition of family members, housing expenses, and to pay previous family debts.
“They should have access to these [GFIs] and they should have preferential treatment. That is my opinion, but I don’t want to preempt (things) because we have yet to talk. But that is one of my plans for them to improve their benefits and access to loans,” he said.
Angara reminded the teachers to put the money they would get from the GFIs to good use, and not for mere caprices in life.
“Every administration grants an increase to teachers’ salaries. I think that within the President’s term, there will be an increase in teachers’ salaries,” he said
Meanwhile, Angara assured the public that he intends to stay with the Cabinet until 2028, brushing aside insinuations that he would run for a local post or as a district representative in next year’s midterm elections.
“I will not run for any position because my term in the Senate will end in 2025. I have no other (political) interests between now and the end of the Marcos administration in 2028. I will not abandon my job just because of my political plans. I think that is one of the worries of the education sector. That will never happen,” he said.
It is well and good that the incoming education secretary is seriously taking on the challenge.
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