Teachers Sound Alarm on Worsening Education Crisis
As public schools nationwide prepare to welcome students for the new school year, teacher groups raise urgent calls to address the worsening education crisis. The persistent shortages in classrooms, teachers, and learning materials demand immediate government action, they said. The four-word keyphrase “education crisis demands urgent action” is central to their plea.
Teacher organizations, including the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), issued separate statements ahead of the June 16 school opening. Both groups urged the administration to significantly increase the education budget and implement reforms that can resolve systemic deficiencies.
Failing Priorities Put Students and Teachers at Risk
ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua criticized the current government’s neglect, highlighting massive shortages: 165,000 classrooms, 150,000 teachers, 96,000 support staff, and over 20 million learning resources remain unmet. “The opening of classes this June 16 exposes the criminal neglect of the Marcos administration towards public education,” Quetua asserted.
He demanded the education budget be doubled immediately to at least six percent of the country’s gross domestic product, aligning with global standards. “How can quality education be expected when schools are overcrowded, teachers are overworked and underpaid, and students lack basic supplies?” he asked. Quetua also condemned the diversion of funds to military expenses and debt servicing under what he called a “neoliberal agenda,” which sidelines education.
Teachers Ready but Burdened by Government Neglect
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition echoed readiness to serve despite ongoing challenges. TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas stressed that while teachers remain enthusiastic, government neglect continues to weigh heavily on educators and learners.
“Teachers are always ready and enthusiastic to perform their duties despite the recurring challenges we face every year,” Basas said. “But it is also the government’s duty to make sure we are not left to carry this burden alone.”
He pointed out persistent shortages in classrooms, chairs, sanitation facilities, and especially learning materials suited to the newly revised curriculum. The pilot rollout of the Strengthened Senior High School (SHS) curriculum is reportedly hampered by inadequate support.
“Reports from the field show that some schools participating in the SHS pilot are not adequately supported to deliver the new curriculum effectively,” Basas noted.
Teacher Welfare Remains a Critical Concern
Both groups highlighted ongoing issues with teacher welfare, including low salaries, excessive workloads, and incomplete benefits mandated by the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. Benefits such as overtime pay, paid study leave, and free medical treatment remain under-implemented.
While the Marcos administration introduced a P7,000 annual medical allowance through an HMO, Basas lamented that teachers still bear out-of-pocket costs for medical checkups due to delayed implementation. “Our appeal to release the allowance in cash, at least for this year, was also ignored,” he said.
Calls for Lasting Reform and Increased Funding
Both ACT and TDC agree that meaningful education reform cannot succeed without addressing root issues — chiefly adequate funding and the dignified treatment of teachers. “No education reform will succeed if we continue to neglect the very people tasked to make it work — our teachers,” Basas emphasized.
Quetua added, “The underfunding of education is part of the systematic weakening of our national capacity to develop our own human resources. A truly patriotic government would prioritize education as the foundation of genuine national development.”
As the 2025–2026 school year begins, ACT announced its School Opening Campaign and plans to mobilize stakeholders in what it calls the “2026 Budget Fight,” pressing for increased funding and reforms both in Congress and through public action.
Both organizations remain committed to pursuing substantial salary hikes, improved working conditions, and an education system that is patriotic, scientific, and truly mass-oriented.
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