The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Thursday that it is currently developing an improved framework to assess the performance of public school teachers, following concerns about the current classroom observation policy.
“The Department is currently working on a policy that focuses on teachers’ growth and performance,” it said in a statement.
The agency noted that the meeting between Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara and DepEd’s National Management Committee members discussed ways to eliminate “unnecessary stress” among educators during classroom teaching observations.
DepEd said classroom observation is a “uniform measure to assess teacher performance, identify needs, and provide support for professional development.” It is also one of the significant factors considered for teachers’ promotion.
In January, the death of a public school teacher during the scheduled classroom observation caused groups to raise their concerns about the pressure teachers face during the evaluation process.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said that the Results-based Performance Management System (RPMS) is a “burdensome” process for teachers, causing additional stress.
Meanwhile, for the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), reinstating the Performance Appraisal System for Teachers (PAST) is a “simpler and more developmental alternative” to the evaluation process.
To enhance the assessment procedure, the key components of the proposed policy are Learner Evidence, Professional Artifacts, Collaboration and Professional Engagement, and a Single Classroom Observation.
Each category has a 25% weight in the overall evaluation to ensure a proportionate rating system for teachers’ performance.
The framework of the policy also aims to promote professional growth, effective workload management, and improved learning outcomes.
“Muli, patuloy tayong magsusulong ng mga polisiya at programa para sa ikabubuti ng ating mga kaguruan [Again, we will continue to push for policies and programs that will benefit our teachers],” Mr. Angara said in a news release.
“President Bongbong Marcos has emphasized time and again the need to protect the welfare of our teachers—and we remain steadfast in carrying out this directive,” he added. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
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