ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio has raised concerns over long-standing issues in the public education system as classes officially reopen on June 8, citing persistent classroom shortages, lack of learning materials, and increasing workload for teachers.
In an exclusive interview on DZRH Stories: Pinoy Documentaries, Tinio said that while public school teachers remain committed and prepared for the school opening, systemic problems continue to affect the quality of education.
“Of course, yung mga guro natin laging maaasahan 'yan sa school opening. At nitong nakaraang mahigit isang buwan, yung kanilang supposedly summer break ay ginugol sa mga paghahanda, sa mga training, sa Brigada Eskwela at iba pa,” Tinio said.
However, he noted that recurring issues are expected to resurface, particularly the shortage of classrooms and learning resources.
“Yung matinding kakulangan ng classrooms. Hindi pa rin talaga na-address yung backlog ng classrooms. Napakabagal pa rin ng classroom construction,” he said, adding that the lack of textbooks remains a major concern more than a decade after the implementation of the K-12 program.
Tinio also criticized the continued reliance on modules instead of textbooks, saying it contributes to lower student learning outcomes.
He further pointed out that teachers are being assigned additional responsibilities under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) learning recovery initiatives, such as the ARAL Program, on top of their regular teaching duties.
“So, nagdagdag at mas mabigat na trabaho para sa mga teachers natin. Gayong wala naman dagdag sa sweldo,” Tinio said, emphasizing that teachers’ compensation remains insufficient despite increasing workloads.
The lawmaker called attention to the need for long-term solutions to address structural issues in the education sector as the new school year begins.
