Group urges smooth transition of school management between Taguig, Makati
THE Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) called for a smooth transition of school management amid the tension between the cities of Taguig and Makati following the final Supreme Court ruling handing Taguig authority over several barangays currently administered by Makati.
The area houses 14 public schools involving some 1,500 teachers and 30,000 learners.
According to the group’s chairman, Benjo Basas, the Central Office’s assumption of authority over the aforementioned schools would ease tension and open the door for more friendly talks between the two local government units.
On Thursday, the DepEd said the Office of the Secretary shall directly supervise the management and administration of all 14 schools, pending a transition plan, effective immediately.
“With just over a week until the opening of classes, our schools will need to make preparations, and in order to do this, teachers and other school personnel should be allowed to work, business as usual. We hope that things will get better sooner,” Basas said.
The DepEd Order No. 23, s. 2023 signed by Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte places the control of 14 schools under the Office of the Secretary.
A subsequent reassignment order was released by Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo reshuffling the stations of four schools division superintendents in the National Capital Region (NCR), including those of Makati and Taguig-Pateros.
Duterte’s order also provides for a transition committee composed of a regional director outside NCR and the respective schools division superintendents of Makati and Taguig Pateros, as well as the city legal officers of both Makati and Taguig.
Meanwhile, teachers of the schools are also problematic as they wait for the situation to improve and for things to get back to normal immediately.
“We hope the two parties could have reached an agreement to restore the normal school operation,” said Noel Meneses, president of the Fort Bonifacio High School Faculty Club.
Teachers are expecting normalcy in the coming days as they request the DepEd to include teacher representatives in the transition committee even as observers.
“We hope for an immediate resolution to this problem because the welfare of teachers and children’s education are at stake,” Meneses concluded.
