Angara extends salary incentives
to public school teachers

Teachers from both elementary and secondary levels can now make ends meet and enjoy their hard-earned salaries.

"Public school teachers are considered to be the heart of the educational system. Hence, the government needs to give priority to their interests and welfare," said Senator Edgardo J. Angara.

He added, "the low salaries received by our public school teachers have been a major disincentive for them to improve their skills in teaching and pursue further education and training."

Knowing the financial ordeals experienced by public school teachers, Senator Angara - known as "Mr. Education" - filed a bill seeking to provide them with further incentives.

The bill offers adequate financial assistance to public school teachers by advancing their minimum salary grade level from grade 10 to 19. However, the increase will depend on the qualifications as well as the length of service rendered.

"In effect, this will spell a P6, 000 increase from the basic salary of public school teachers, barely amounting to P10, 000," said Angara.

By providing attractive incentives, Senator Angara believes that the exodus of public school teachers, which drains the educational system, would be sufficiently addressed.

From 1992-2001, more than 3,000 teachers have left the country for overseas jobs and majority of them has found employment in schools and universities in the United States.

With more teachers wanting to work abroad, global competitiveness of students is at risk. Now ranking 77 out 117 countries, it has continuously declined by twenty-eight notches in the span of six years.

"One cannot blame them for wanting to work abroad for substantially higher wages. However, this salary upgrade will attract qualified and competent teachers to teach in public schools," he said.

Apart from addressing the outflow of teachers, Senator Angara also believes that drastic measures have to be made to train remaining teachers.

"If we aspire to improve the quality of education in our country, we must motivate our teachers, re-train and reward them for their efforts," he said.