An association of Catholic schools, colleges and universities in the country is pushing to increase the salary of private school teachers.
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) presented the proposed salary increase during its recently concluded national convention in Iloilo City.
CEAP is a voluntary organization that operates through regional educational associations located in the country’s 17 regions. It has more than 1,484 members.
Fr. Joel Tabora, CEAP president, appealed to legislators to support their proposal.
“The adequate remuneration of teachers shall also include teachers in the private sector, in recognition of the complementary roles of the public and private institutions in the educational system,” he said.
The entry-level salary of private school teachers is much lower compared to those in public schools, Tabora lamented.
“In many of our Catholic schools, entry levels may be P8,000, really depends on the what is the economic status of the community,” he said.
Those in public schools, on the other hand, receive an entry-level salary of around P20,000, Tabora added.
According to lawyer Joseph Noel Estrada, CEAP legal counsel, “there is no definite figure yet” for the proposed salary hike.
“These are numbers subject to availability of funds but this should be discussed urgently because the gap is getting wider as they propose higher salary for public schools,” he said.IMT
