THE HOUSE of Representatives has started deliberations on the proposed P589.2-billion 2022 budget for the Department of Education (DepEd). A bigger budget may be needed to cover the needs of education amid the pandemic such as the safe re-opening of schools in low-risk areas and for the various modalities of distance learning.
The Philippines will soon become the world’s record-holder for the longest closed schools during the pandemic, so it is ironic that DepEd’s proposed funding for 2022 still does not provide for the safe opening of schools. We’re calling on our duly-elected officials to heed the call for an education budget that is truly responsive to our needs.
Not a few have lambasted the Duterte administration’s “clear lack of plans to safely re-open schools anytime soon, judging by the budget allocated to DepEd. There’s a budget cut of more than half (51.18%, from P11.1-B in 2021 to P5.4-B in 2022) in the provision for basic education facilities, from which only P358-M was allotted for school health facilities. It is also unclear if the hiring of school nurses will be funded in the proposal.
Meanwhile, resource provision for distance learning modalities remains wanting in the proposed budget. According to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, two of the previous sources of funds for the production of modules will not get a significant increase despite persisting reports of shortages resulting in as much as a 1:5 student to module ratio in certain areas and schools turning to loans to cover the costs of such production; the provisions for flexible learning options will suffer a slash of P1.4-B or 8.43%, and zero increase for textbook and other instructional materials at P963.3-M. Another program that aids in accessibility of some of the most underprivileged students will suffer a big cut — the indigenous people’s education program, which will decrease by P107.6-M or 67.64% in this year’s proposal.
Also not reflected in the proposed budget are th internet allowance and internet expense subsidy for students and teachers, and allotments for laptops and gadgets which are basic necessities for remote learning.
It seems the government has learned nothing from the disaster that was last school year, or it simply doesn’t care that so many of us are suffering under the tremendous weight of the onerous distance learning. The right of millions of youth to accessible quality education has been sacrificed for too long now, the welfare of our teachers sorely neglected.
The costs of such abandonment are far too high for the entire nation.
