A group of education workers on Wednesday renewed calls for the enactment of a Magna Carta for private school teachers, following concerns about probationary periods for employees.
“We have yet to achieve a much-needed law for a Magna Carta for Private School Teachers… that would uplift the economic and living conditions of private school teachers,” Solidarity of Workers in Private Education (SWIPE) said in a statement.
“Education should be a top priority of the government. Thus, the concerns of workers in the education sector ought to be central to the president’s mandate,” it added.
The group argued that the passage of the Magna Carta for private school teachers will help address the contradictions in the maximum probationary period for academic teaching personnel.
It noted that under Article 296 of the Labor Code, probationary employment cannot exceed six months. However, under Section 117 of the Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education (MORPHE) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the probationary period can reach up to three years.
“We appeal to the President to address this issue by sponsoring legislation that addresses this long-standing contradiction between a law and an administrative order,” SWIPE said.
“We appeal to the Courts and other quasi-judicial bodies to be just and fair in their decisions in cases and issues that greatly affect the personal and economic aspects of many education workers,” it added.
Public educators in the Philippines are protected by Republic Act No. 4670, or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers. Legislative bills to protect and empower out-of-school children and students have also been proposed in Congress.
Meanwhile, employment rights and benefits of teachers from private institutions are primarily governed by Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines.
“We remind and adjure both the House and the Senate to work and create laws and other measures that will uplift the work conditions of education workers, and uphold their rights and welfare,” SWIPE said.
In 2025, Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos called for the immediate passage of the Magna Carta for private school teachers to provide safeguards against inequitable treatment.
Among the bill’s major provisions are a limit of six teaching hours per day, a probationary period of six months, and hardship allowances for commuting, conducting laboratory experiments, or other hazards. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
from BusinessWorld Online https://ift.tt/AsnvbNg
