Teachers union demands end to ‘burdensome’ evaluations, seeks improved working conditions
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) is calling for an end to the Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) for educators.
While the union welcomes the government’s review of performance management systems for civil servants, it argues that the RPMS for teachers creates an unnecessary workload.
In a statement, ACT Teachers Representative France Castro said the union supports reviewing “bureaucratic performance management systems” that burden teachers with paperwork instead of improving their well-being and teaching quality.
“We maintain that the RPMS for teachers should be abolished entirely, not just suspended,” Castro said.
ACT has long criticized the RPMS, citing heavy documentation requirements like lesson plans, instructional materials, and portfolios. Teachers are required to submit these materials to have their performance evaluated based on standards set by the Department of Education (DepEd). Many teachers complain this adds to their already demanding workload.
“Our teachers have long complained about the heavy documentation requirements, unrealistic targets, and discriminatory performance-based bonuses under this system,” Castro said. “It is high time we listen to their grievances and dismantle these oppressive policies.”
Castro further argued, “The system is fundamentally flawed as it imposes unreasonable demands on our teachers who are already overworked and underpaid.”
She emphasized the need to prioritize teacher well-being over such “dehumanizing metrics.”
ACT Teachers is pushing for House Resolution 64, which calls for a comprehensive report on the implementation of the RPMS and performance-based bonus policies in the DepEd.
Castro argued that focus should be shifted to improving teachers’ lives, saying: “We should focus on providing our teachers with decent salaries, especially the P50,000 entry level for teachers, better learning environments for students, and sufficient operational funding for public schools.”
On June 8, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order 61, suspending the implementation of the RPMS and Performance-Based Incentive System (PBIS) in the civil service due to redundancy and overlap with existing internal and external performance audits and evaluations.
While ACT welcomes the review, the union is pushing for the complete removal of the RPMS for teachers, advocating for a shift in focus towards creating a more supportive work environment for educators.
