The Department of Education (DepEd) through its Division Superintendent Dr. Gloria Mudanza announced the appointments during the staff meeting today (Oct. 31).
The new appointees have actually been teaching in the city the past five years but paid by the local school board. The pay of local hires is lower than the DepEd-hired. Local hires are not entitled to benefits also because they are not regular employees.
Mudanza said the teachers will be deployed in the city’s barangay high schools.
She expressed confidence that deployment of more teachers will help improve the quality of education in the hinterland barangays.
“Teachers are nation builders. Please make use of your time and expertise to educate your students with commitment to your chosen profession,” Mudanza said.
Mudanza also challenged the new teachers to upgrade their expertise by participating in seminar-workshops sponsored by the DepEd in North Cotabato and Kidapawan.
She urged them to pursue masteral degrees to enhance their knowledge.
“Education does not only revolve within the four corners of our classrooms. I would say continue your quest in achieving for better and even higher level of education,” Mudanza stressed.
Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco, on the other hand, thanked the teachers for serving the city by teaching for at least five years despite the meager salary the city was giving.
“I am very thankful to all of you that despite your meager salary, you continued to help educate our children. Your commitment to your chosen profession has helped you land a permanent job,” the mayor said.
The city government of Kidapawan has been allocating funds for some 600 locally paid teachers because of the lack of teachers in the elementary and secondary schools in the city’s 40 barangays.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod has appropriated some P2 million pesos annually for the salary of the local school board teachers hired by the city government. The fund is from the 20% realty tax paid by the Philippine National Oil Company which is operating a geothermal power plant on the foothills of Mt. Apo.