MANILA – Sen. Francis Pangilinan is pushing for an increase in teachers’ allowance this school year as the country still battles the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement on Sunday, Pangilinan said the additional allowance may be used for either internet or production of modules. Teachers’ chalk allowance remains pegged at P3,500 per year.
“Teachers, parents and students will face learning in the time of COVID. The type of teaching and learning will be very different so we need to support each other,” Pangilinan said.
“Our teachers are again going out of their way to reach and connect and share knowledge with their students. While they used to spend their own money for their students’ notebooks and other school supplies, now they are chipping in their own money to buy printers to reproduce modules,” he added.
According to Pangilinan, there is a move in the Senate to increase the teaching supplies allowance of public school teachers from P3,500 to P5,000, but he claimed it won’t be enough.
“We must ensure that teachers have the full support of the government in transitioning to this new normal in our education system,” Pangilinan said.
The Department of Education opens the public school year 2020-2021 today./PN
