THE Commission on Audit reported that the Department of Education has P254 million worth of questionable textbook contracts and P113.7 million worth of undistributed books.
Teachers have been repeatedly told to learn financial literacy whenever they demand a substantial increase in their meager salaries only to find out that the education agency itself has been inefficient and delinquent with the use of its funds. We will investigate this matter and call for accountability to look into the delinquencies and the misuse of education funds.
The Deped demands a “21st century teacher” that requires them to use LCD projectors, laptops, TVs and other learning materials. Teachers often complain that they would have to shell out from their own pockets to meet this requirement and to to fill in the various shortages in our schools only to find out that public education funds were being misused. There are teachers and students that endure the effects of these neglect and recklessness by the Department of Education. At the end of the day, the quality of education that our youth will receive will ultimately be affected by this impudence by the Department of Education.
The overwhelming number of undistributed textbooks is very alarming considering that the shortages in books, even error filled books are perpetual problems. Reports from teachers show they have to spend from their own money to provide their students photocopies for the learning materials for their students. Students also resort to book sharing because of the lack of learning materials provided by the state.
The lack of books and the error filled learning materials also reflect the lack of preparedness of the state for the K to 12 program. Teachers report that since the implementation of K to 12, the shortage or lack of learning materials for the new curriculum continues. Budget cuts for Textbooks and Other Learning Materials also persist with a P3,040,831,000 in 2017, P2,990,831,000 budget for 2018 and a P1,844,499,000 in 2019. How can our youth expect quality education when the most basic learning material cannot be properly provided by the state? –France L. Castro, representative, ACT Teachers
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