Teachers' group sets up back to school hotline

According to [The Manila Times], in preparation for the opening of the school year 2021-2022 on September 13, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) launched on Friday the "Bantay Balik Eskwela Hotline" to monitor the "true" on-the-ground state of school opening. The concerns raised and gathered from the hotline will be used to seek responses and resolutions from the Department of Education (DepEd) and other concerned agencies. Initial reports from teachers indicated similar concerns from last year, including unclear instructions from schools on enrollment, said ACT Secretary-General Raymond Basilio.

The hotline for Smart users is 0961-421-5053 and 0967-446-1266 for Globe subscribers. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Basilio encouraged teachers and parents to send their concerns even beyond its operational hours. "It's actually open for 24 hours, but our hotlines can only respond to the queries and concerns from 9 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, but messages from the public could still be received beyond operating hours.

Bantay Balik Eskwela Hotline. (Photo / Retrieved from Manila Bulletin)

We are expecting to receive concerns on safety and health of our students, teachers, and personnel," Basilio said.

According to [The Manila Times], the group also encouraged teachers to answer its ongoing survey on schools' readiness for the opening of classes in September. It covers questions on the preparations made by schools and DepEd. It aims to gauge what is still needed to ensure learning continuity amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Teachers may access the link to the survey through the official Facebook page of the ACT-Philippines. Results will be used to urge DepEd to address the concerns raised by teachers, and possibly use this as well in the upcoming deliberations and budget hearings in the Senate and the House of Representatives.