ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on Friday called on education officials to refocus on addressing the real issues plaguing the Philippine educational system, including inadequate funding, classroom shortages, and the need for better compensation for education workers.

She urged the current Department of Education leadership to “prioritize these concerns and work towards achieving the UN-recommended education budget standard of 6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.”

At the same time, Castro strongly refuted former Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte’s claims of attempting to correct the DepEd budget, exposing the latter’s misplaced priorities and failures during her tenure.

“Saan banda?! Ang ginawa lang niya ay humingi ng confidential funds gamit ang DepEd na di naman nito mandato at hanggang ngayon ay di pa din maayos na naipapaliwanag. Wala din syang ginawa para itaas ang budget ng DepEd sa UN standards o katumbas ng 6% ng GDP ng bansa,” Castro said.

Castro highlighted Duterte’s failure to address critical issues in the education sector, including the persistent classroom shortage and the lack of substantial salary increases for teachers and education support personnel.

“Ni hindi man lang niya itinaas ang bilang ng mga pinapagawang classroom at hanggang ngayon ay mahigit 150,000 pa rin ang kulang. Hindi rin niya inilaban ang substantial na dagdag sahod ng mga guro at education support personnel. Ang ginawa nya ay pinamanmanan ang mga guro, pinatanggal ang mga educational decorations sa classrooms at lalo pang pinahirapan ang mga guro at mag-aaral sa Matatag curriculum na hindi man lang sila nakonsulta,” she added.

The ACT Teachers representative criticized Duterte’s recent resignation from DepEd, suggesting it was motivated by personal interests rather than genuine concern for the education sector.

“Huwag na siyang magpalusot sa pagresign sa DepEd, alam naman ng karamihan na hindi lang niya nakuha ang gusto nya kaya ngayon ay nagmamaktol sya,” Castro asserted.

The ACT Teachers Partylist remains committed to advocating for the rights and welfare of educators and students, pushing for policies that will truly improve the quality of education in the county.