BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – A Lower House proposal gives public school teachers aged below 60 years old the option to retire.
But House Bill 4501 sets the early retirement only to those who have rendered 15 years of service and are at least 55 years old.
According to the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB), 15 percent of elementary school teachers in the country are over 60.
In contrast, “almost 100 percent” of grade schools teachers in Indonesia and Malaysia are under 60, NSCB noted.
With early retirement, “more retirees will be able to enjoy many good and healthy years,” said Rep. Silvestre Bello III, bill author.
It will likewise provide employment to newly licensed teachers, he added.
A US study showed the early retirement option improved student performance, said Bello.
“New and younger teachers not only came on board with newer and more effective teaching practices, but were more energetic in experimenting and finding other methodologies to match their students’ aptitude levels,” Bello said./PN
