THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers Private Schools urged the Department of Labor and Employment to show compassion to probationary teachers and contractual employees in public and private schools by stopping the implementation of the “No Work, No Pay” policy during health breaks.

“Local government units and school administrators heeding the calls to suspend classes and ease up work in light of the ongoing Covid19 surge is a welcome development. However, it is crucial that the employees are given the assurance that they will continue to be compensated even during the said break, given that the majority suffers from reduced workloads and a paycheck system that heavily depends on their rendered reporting hours,” Dr. Jonathan Geronimo, Secretary-General of ACT Private Schools, said.

Geronimo said that if the policy continues, many teachers and employees will suffer huge cuts in their salaries which can significantly impact their ability to buy food and medicine.

“The uncertainties of the pandemic coupled with mounting expenses with little to no assistance from the government left the public even more anxious. The health break—a result of the growing number of sick teachers, staff, and students—should allow us to surmount the health crisis that has now seeped into our own homes. We need continuous income to afford health care that otherwise will not be provided by this government,” he said.

Geronimo urged the Duterte administration to ramp up its pandemic response by implementing mass testing, free treatment, improving access to vaccines, and provision of sufficient aid.

“Private schools will not incur losses if they will pay the salaries of contractual employees for the duration of the implementation of academic health break because school fees are computed and paid at semestral or yearly rates,” the group said.

Geronimo said that the questioned policy should not be applied to contractual employees and part-time faculty members in state universities and colleges.

“We enjoin the public to press DOLE not only to take notice of this issue but also to take decisive actions as this will help mitigate the economic crisis being experienced by many education personnel particularly in private sector,” Geronimo said.