BARMM adhered to CSC rules on provisional teachers – Sinarimbo

COTABATO CITY – Bangsamoro Spokesperson Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo explained Friday, Dec. 4 the issues concerning the provisional teachers laid off by the regional government’s Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE).

Sinarimbo underscored during an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) that the action taken by MBHTE was in compliance with the requirements of law and civil rules on appointments of teachers particularly Provisional Appointment as defined in the 2017 Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Human Resource Actions (Revised July 2018).

“Matatanggal talaga sila kasi under the rule of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) ay hindi pwedeng mag-appoint ng provisionary teachers kapag merong aplikante na kumpleto yung qualifications,” he said.

He also shared that the Bangsamoro Government has offered to hire affected teachers thru contract of service, and provide them with free Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) review and guaranteed to hire them permanently once they pass the exam.

Around 828 provisional teaching employees of MBHTE had been affected by the ministry’s Memorandum Order No. 154 and No. 194-B with the subject Cease and Desist Order last May 31.

Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal previously said that the Bangsamoro Government allocated a sum of Php190, 980,000.00 for them. As their office term expired last March 31, the ministry provided each laid-off teacher with emergency relief assistance allowance (ERAA) allowance amounting Php10,000.00 and a mid-year bonus of more than Php20,000.00, in addition to their salaries.

Also part of the allotted budget was the appropriation of P10-Million for free-LET review, request to Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to conduct special LET exam, and as approved by the Office of the Chief Minister (OCM), will hire them for one (1) year as contractual of services.

“These provisional teachers will be re-employed [if they wanted to] with a salary of Php15,000.00 per month and some additional Php5,000.00 annual funds for administrative assessment activity,” Iqbal previously said.

This year, over 1,300 newly-hired teachers from the provinces of Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi took their oath after passing the LET exam. A similar oath-taking ceremony will also be held in the remaining provinces next year. (Bureau of Public Information)