THE TECHNICAL working group of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture has started tackling a substitute bill that will institutionalize support mechanisms on classroom management and student discipline for teachers and personnel in the public school system.

The group, chaired by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, is drafting provisions of consolidated House Bills 364, 549 and 6940.

Castro, during the discussion, stressed the need to clearly clarify the difference between classroom discipline and child abuse.

Several stakeholders, including the Department of Education, expressed support for the measure, stressing the need for a law to enable the government to provide legal assistance to teachers.

ACT NCR Union President Ruby Bernardo, said that Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act is being used against public school teachers who are only maintaining order in classrooms and ensuring that students receive quality education.

Bernardo said the government must put in place policy guidelines on classroom management to protect both the students and teachers.

DepEd Chief Administrative Officer Francis Allen Dela Cruz relayed to the TWG, upon instruction of Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte, that DepEd is trying to address the lack of legal officers.

The Second Congressional Commission on Education Chief Legal Officer Joseph Noel Estrada urged the panel to also provide for teacher’s empowerment in the bill.