ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro filed a bill that seeks to amend the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers.

Castro said many changes in the education system had occurred, requiring the Magna Carta to be updated.

House Bill 8058 will revise provisions of RA 4670 to keep the law in tune with the demands of public school teachers in the 21st century, she said.

“54 years is a long time, many changes in teaching methods, requirements and demands have been made,” Castro added.

“It is high time that the Magna Carta of public school teachers also reflects 21st century demands for adequate salaries and benefits,” she said.

The measure proposes shorter teaching hours; stronger protection for teachers hired on probationary status and limiting salary deductions.

“Teaching in the time of Covid19 also requires emphasizing the mandatory and free nature of health benefits for public school teachers,” Castro said.

The bill also ‘protects’ public school teachers from out-of-pocket expenses, being assigned non-teaching work and unregulated class sizes.

It also mandates the DepEd to hire substitute teachers when necessary.

House Bill 8058 will also impose heavier penalties for violation of any provision of the Magna Carta of Public School Teachers.