Journal Entry #3: Why we Need to Uphold Legal Mandates in the Teaching Profession

        Frequently, teachers in the Philippines become targets of the ire of students who unfairly judge them and school administrators who overburden them with work without proper compensation. Because of this, the teaching profession has become a less appealing career choice for aspiring professionals. But as an aspiring professional pedagogue, it is crucial for me to learn the laws that govern the teaching profession so that no person shall bully me in the classroom and professional setting, nor will I become an abuser of my authority and power as a teacher.

        Concerning the laws and rights of teachers governed by the Magna Carta for Teachers, learning about compensatory entitlements and remunerations can be financially beneficial. The salary of teachers, even though there is a high demand for said teachers, is relatively low compared to the workload they get. Suppose a teacher notices that their commute to the school they teach is somewhat risky due to various factors, such as if they have to climb mountains, cross rivers, or even face potentially dangerous individuals like rebel groups or robbers. In that case, they can increase their salary with a minimum of 25% from special hardship allowances. Another entitlement teachers should know is the Study Leave, where teachers can pursue a graduate degree with any educational or allied course and their employer at least 60% of their salary. Knowledge of this clause is exceptionally relevant, especially if a teacher wants to advance their career. My mother, Ms. Reina Cruz, and her co-teacher, Ms. Ella Valdez, are pursuing a master's in Educational Management. However, the school that employs them constantly denies their application for their respective study leaves, so the Department of Education does not appropriately enforce this clause. As my mother and her co-teacher did not want to cause any chaos in their school, they chose to stay silent. But this should not be the case, and they should be able to justifiably be granted the Study Leave as they advance their pedagogical careers. In short, teachers should know the legal mandates so that they will take full advantage of their financial entitlements.

         Another area why a future pedagogue should be familiar with Legal Mandates is that of being taken advantage of by their administrations. According to Section 11 of the Batas Pambansa Number 232, teachers have the right to be free from compulsory assignments unrelated to their duties as defined in their appointments or employment contracts unless compensated. My mother (once more) is only a Teacher 1 and is part of the Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (ESP) Department in her school. Due to the lack of teaching personnel, she unwillingly became the chairman of her department despite her low rank. Due to this situation, she has a significantly higher workload than her colleagues with similar positions. She feels that the school unjustly burdens her and thinks the administration should give the job to a candidate with a higher ranking in her department or raise her salary accordingly. Again, due to her unconfrontational nature, she still does nothing about it, and she has stayed the chairman of the ESP department for three years.

        Additionally, and probably most importantly, future pedagogues should know the scopes and limitations of their teaching responsibilities to their students. The teachers should understand that their responsibilities stay within the classroom only. What matters is that they teach and uphold ethical behavior as well as teach and widen the knowledge of students regarding their specific field of focus. Teachers should maintain these actions such that they follow Republic Act 6713 to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. The teacher should also not develop relationships with their students to avoid being persecuted by the Republic Act 7877 or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995.  

        All these areas of reasoning are equally important as they serve as the guiding light for teachers to enjoy their teaching profession while maintaining ethical standards towards their students and for administrations to treat them with dignity.