THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers pressed the Department of Education to immediately release an updated report on Covid19 infection among its personnel, as well as measures to assist infected teachers and employees.

The group made the call following reports of infection among teachers in Zambales and the lockdown of the DepEd central office in Pasig City due to Covid outbreak.

Last week, there were reports that 28 DepEd employees contracted Covid19 after attending a seminar sponsored by the agency at a beach resort in Zambales.

ACT noted that the last DepEd data on infection among personnel was revealed  during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives in September 2020. The data then was 2,830 infected DepEd employees.

“With the alarming surge of Covid infection, we are worried about the extent of infection among our teaching and non-teaching personnel, especially that many teachers have reported of being required to report physically even outside of module distribution days and despite the lack of adequate safety measures in schools. We ask DepEd: What are the numbers and what are you doing to help our education workers?” Raymond Basilio, ACT Secretary General, asked.

Basilio asserted that “it is the duty of the agency to be transparent on the health situation of its workers during the pandemic and to provide the infected employees with support on testing, quarantine and treatment.”

“Infected DepEd personnel, especially teachers who are not eligible for sick leave benefits, should be granted paid sick leave for the whole duration of their quarantine and treatment. DepEd should ensure that they have access to free Covid19 testing, appropriate quarantine facility, and treatment,” Basilio said.

The group said DepEd should set up a medical fund to address the needs of infected personnel.

“The department has to take responsibility especially for its workers who have been exposed in performance of their duties as this is due to the department’s rashness and negligence,” Basilio said.