TO CONTINUE providing education to children with special needs, the Ilocos Norte Provincial Board approved a resolution to shoulder the salaries of special education teachers.

Provincial Board Member Saul Paulo Lazo said at least four SPED teachers do not receive their salaries on time because they depend on the permission of the local school board fund.

There are about 1,500 enrollees in the SPED program in Ilocos Norte.

Lazo said that each of the teachers from the Florentino Camaquin Integrated School and Bacarra National Comprehensive High School has a monthly salary of P22,316.

“Inclusive education access should not be hampered. For the school year 2021-2022, the board approved the use of the province’s SPED fund to compensate SPED teachers without a permanent position,” Lazo said.

“The resolution authorizes Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte for the payment of the teachers’ salaries,” the official added.

Remilin Abrogena, Education Program Supervisor for SPED in Ilocos Norte, said that the teachers have not been paid their wages since June.

“I hope that Department of Education will open a permanent position for special education teachers in the future,” Abrogena said, noting that there are no plantilla positions because the SPED program in the said schools is under transition.