format(webp))
Teachers Overworked Despite Hiring of Administrative Officers, EDCOM 2 Reports
Despite hiring AOs, teachers still face excessive paperwork, affecting classroom time. DepEd seeks ₱6.8B for more AOs, but workload concerns persist.
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has revealed that despite the hiring of administrative officers (AOs) in schools, two out of three teachers still work beyond 40 hours per week due to excessive paperwork. The report highlights that teachers are burdened with redundant administrative tasks, such as repeatedly submitting the same data to different Department of Education (DepEd) offices, which takes away valuable time from classroom instruction and contributes to high levels of stress.
While DepEd has already hired 24,519 AOs to alleviate the workload, this number remains insufficient, particularly in large schools where administrative demands are greater. To address the issue, DepEd has proposed a ₱6.8 billion budget to hire an additional 20,000 AOs between 2025 and 2026. However, concerns persist as some current AOs are reportedly considering resignations due to their overwhelming workload.
As education stakeholders push for better support systems, calls for streamlining administrative processes and improving digital solutions are growing. Many hope that reducing redundant tasks will allow teachers to focus on their primary role—educating students.
What's Your Reaction?
