DepEd to hire minimum-wage admin staff using schools' operating budget

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education is set to allocate portions of schools' operational budgets to fund 7,062 administrative support positions in public schools nationwide.

DepEd announced in a statement on Thursday, March 6, that it will tap schools' Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) to "renew and hire" school-based minimum-wage administrative support workers who will handle non-teaching-related duties, some of which have been previously assigned to teachers due to a lack of personnel. 

In January 2024, the department issued DepEd Order No. 002 mandating the removal of all administrative tasks from teachers within 60 days to allow them to focus on teaching. However, its implementation has been uneven due to the lack of dedicated staff to take over these responsibilities across the country's 47,000 public schools. 

These over 7,062 personnel "will provide clerical and administrative support to school heads, allowing teachers to focus on their core responsibility of teaching," DepEd said in its statement. 

They will "assist with school operations such as preparing reports, coordinating school programs and activities, and handling other clerical tasks," it added.

"Our teachers belong in the classroom, not behind paperwork," Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

The administrative positions require a Senior High School diploma and basic computer skills, with no prior work experience necessary. Staff will receive the regional minimum wage, along with an additional 12.5% premium, which will be paid in tranches, according to DepEd.

Currently, employed administrative workers must meet established performance standards according to division-level evaluations to continue in their roles, while first-time applicants will undergo a review of their credentials and formal interviews conducted jointly by principals and Schools Division Office representatives. 

State think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies previously warned against assigning administrative responsibilities to teachers as it takes away their focus on their actual teaching duties. 

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) highlighted in its Year One report that 30% to 70% of the MOOE budgets of schools are spent on utility bills alone, leaving little funding for other school needs and initiatives to improve learning.