NON-TEACHING PERSONNEL ARE IMPORTANT TOO

REALIZA S. LINTAG-ILAGAN

When people think of Department of Education or DepEd, they only think of teachers and students. When people think of elementary and secondary schools, they picture students in classroom being taught by teachers and supervised by principals. When people find out that you are working at DepEd, they will surely ask you this question: So you are a teacher, where are you teaching? It may seem surprising for the public especially the parents and students to learn that aside from teachers and principals, there are also nonteaching personnel in public schools and these non-teaching personnel who are often overlooked play an important role in the development and success of the school.

It may be noticed that attention had always been on teaching and teaching-related personnel as if non-teaching personnel do not exist. Non-teaching personnel can be as important as teachers, thus, the focus on improving schools should not be limited to thinking about teachers. Non-teaching personnel should also be regarded as greatest resource for the schools. Nonteaching personnel also have their respective RPMS-IPCRF in order for them to be rated with their accomplished task for the year wherein their indicated objectives are actually the duties and responsibilities they do in service and that will provide a meaningful contribution to the Mission and Vision of DepEd.

Non-teaching personnel such as Administrative Officers, Bookkeepers, Disbursing Officers, Property Custodians, Registrars, Guidance Counsellors, Administrative Aides, Drivers, Security and Utility personnel have to be recognized because they variously play a vital role in the educational system. They form an integral part of the educational system and their services are indispensable in the quest to enhance quality education. Non-teaching personnel should be acknowledged in their respective schools or offices because they also play an important role in the educational system and their contribution helps to make education more relevant to the needs and aspirations of Philippine Education.

For the past years, administrative and clerical works or other non-teaching tasks are being performed by principals alone or by some teachers who are already burdened with their teaching loads and paperworks. But with the hiring of non-teaching personnel by DepEd nationwide, administrative works are now performed by them such as assisting in human resource tasks, property and financial management functions and other related administrative tasks. These non-teaching personnel also make it sure that appointments, salaries and benefits of teachers are processed and given on time. But the sad part is that some non-teaching personnel are being treated by some as the lowest kind of employees because of their low salary grade and not seeing their worth and their voluminous administrative works like financial and human resource tasks.

Non-teaching personnel also need development support for them to grow and be able to deliver better services to the educational system. The services that these personnel render are very critical to the delivery of quality education. Thus, DepEd should also provide trainings to the non-teaching personnel to develop their skills and integrate and inculcate in them the high degree of professionalism and integrity especially those who are performing financial functions.

-oOoThe author is Administrative Officer II of San Pablo 2nd National High School, Division of Pampanga