DepEd targets additional non-financial benefits for teachers

The Department of Education will focus on studying possible more non-financial benefits to teachers, its spokesperson Michael Poa said on Wednesday.

Interviewed on ANC, Poa made a correction on his previous statement that the DepEd will be looking into allowances for non-basic wage benefits that they can give to teachers amid the calls for salary increase.

“I have to apologize and correct myself with that. Allowances are always a possibility in non-wage benefits,” he said.

“But in terms of the budget, I mean, this is still an ongoing study so I don't want to preempt the results, but we are also, I think, the focus now is looking at non-financial benefits,” he added.

One of the most requested benefits by teachers on the ground is health insurance, according to Poa.

He added that the DepEd is also looking into trainings for promotion as one of the possible non-financial benefits for teachers. According to him, teachers spend a lot of money on these trainings.

Poa said there is a misconception that teachers receive low salaries. He said that since 2019, teachers’ pay has already increased. Currently, the entry level salary is P23,000 and expected to increase to P27,000 by 2023, he added. —LBG, GMA News