Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara-Duterte on Thursday stressed that Education department is open to cooperate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to distribute the agency’s educational cash assistance.
This comes after DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo made a statement that teachers may favor certain people if they will be involved in the distribution of the educational cash aid.
“The Department of Education maintains its willingness to coordinate and cooperate with other national government agencies, such as the DSWD, especially for programs aimed to benefit our learners and teachers,” Duterte said.
She added that “public school teachers have always been models of professionalism, and their dedication and commitment to public service go beyond self-interest.”
“The sacrifices of our teachers are priceless and the responsibility is in their hands to guide our students to learn and to fulfill their dreams in life,” Duterte said.
The Vice President stressed that the dignity of the teachers has strengthened the foundation of their profession as they embody selflessness and “their love of country and fellowmen is something that cannot be questioned.”
Meantime, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers blasted Tulfo’s “prejudiced and uncalled for” statement against teachers, saying that the DSWD chief cannot cover up his own failures by nitpicking on others.
“This is a very irresponsible statement from an irresponsible (public) official who was behind of a sloppy system in the distribution of educational cash aid to students. Sir, you cannot cover up your own failures by nitpicking on others,” said ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua.
“Secretary Tulfo has inconvenienced our teachers enough when he made a very late announcement a few days before school opening that educational assistance will be distributed. It caused the deluge in schools of parents asking for certificate of enrolment at a time when our teachers are struggling to set-up their classrooms, source out chairs and accomplish last-minute preparations for the class opening. He only aggravated our teachers’ displeasure with his administration with such an insulting statement,” he added.