A group of elementary school applicants in Palawan has raised their voices in frustration and concern over the extended delay in the deployment process for permanent teaching positions. The applicants, who wish to remain anonymous, reached out to Palawan Daily today, August 16, to call out the Department of Education-Division of Palawan to shed light on the perplexing situation.
According to the applicants,’ their ordeal began when they received a call from the DepEd-Palawan Division in late April, instructing them to submit the necessary requirements for permanent positions.
Responding promptly, the hopeful educators submitted their documents by the designated deadline in early May.
Traditionally, according to the applicants, this process leads to the swift issuance of an Assignment Order, enabling the newly-appointed teachers to commence their duties. However, the Assignment Orders were not immediately released, citing the Provincial Meet and the recent MIMAROPA Meet as the reason for the delay.
Weeks turned into months, and despite repeated inquiries, the applicants were left in a state of limbo, unsure of the status of their applications. What should have been a smooth transition from applicant to employee turned into a distressing wait, causing mounting frustration among the aspiring teachers. According to them, the lack of communication and transparency from the division office employees added to their exasperation.
As the months rolled by, the applicants found themselves in an increasingly challenging position, with the impending election ban further complicating matters. Some of the applicants also reported feeling the effects of this uncertainty on their mental health, experiencing stress and depression due to the extended period of unemployment and uncertainty.
In a plea addressed to DepEd-Palawan, the applicants called for answers and transparency regarding the delay.
Their message conveyed their eagerness to work and their deep desire to contribute to the education system. They emphasized their willingness to understand any challenges or problems that may have led to the delay, but they implored the department to provide at least a tentative schedule or explanation.
Meanwhile, Mailyn Dilig, spokesperson for DepEd Palawan Division, provided a statement to Palawan Daily. She explained that while there are available positions, the matching of applicants’ graduate majors with vacant positions is a crucial factor in the deployment process.
She said that if an applicant’s major does not align with the available positions, immediate placement may not be feasible.
“Although may ‘item’ na sila, if the vacant positions does not align with their majors, hindi po assurance ‘yun na makakapag-start sila agad. Also, mayroon po tayong tinatawag na RQA sa application process. Ito po ay parang ranking, or priority positions na kailangan munang ma fill up bago makapag open uli ng bagong vacancies,” Dilig said.
“Rest assured, pinapublish naman po ang mga openings natin, sabay-sabay po nagpapublish ang lahat ng division offices ng DepEd, makikita din nila ‘yan agad,” she added.
She also suggested that applicants consider volunteering as teachers within their local communities as an alternative while waiting for suitable vacancies to arise.
“For the meantime, puwede naman po silang mag volunteer teacher sa local LGUs nila para hindi po nasasayang anf oras nila… Hindi ko lang sure kung may honararium or allowance silang matatanggap kasi nakadepende po ‘yun sa LGUs,” Dilig said.
Dilig also encourages the applicants to directly inquire at their local administrative offices to learn about the current status of their application. She highlighted the importance of visiting the local offices to address the matter and clear up any confusion surrounding their application.