Photo courtesy of Philstar

Two prominent teachers' groups have urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to reconsider its classroom observation practices following the death of a teacher in Muntinlupa City during a scheduled observation. The Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) is requesting an urgent policy review, while the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) is demanding the immediate suspension of these observations. Agnes Buenaflor, who taught at Pedro E. Diaz High School, collapsed and died despite receiving first aid and being hospitalized.

Classroom observations are part of the teachers' performance rating system, intended primarily for improving teaching methods rather than assessing worth, according to TDC's statement on January 8. Benjo Basas, TDC’s national chairperson, emphasized that teachers should not face undue stress and workload from these evaluations. ACT concurs, calling for a suspension of observations and the evaluation system in favor of a fairer alternative, noting that the pressure may have contributed to Buenaflor's untimely death.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed condolences and affirmed that DepEd's guidelines have already been adjusted based on teacher feedback. The current guidelines, effective from October 2025, require two full-period observations per year, agreed upon in advance. The aim is to alleviate pressure by considering multiple factors for performance reviews rather than a single assessment.

Angara assured ongoing policy reviews to ease teacher workloads while inviting further suggestions from teachers. While the new guidelines have reduced the number of required observations compared to previous years, the implementation has sparked renewed debate on balancing teacher evaluation and well-being, reported Philstar.

Key Takeaways

• Teachers' groups demand policy review after a colleague's death during observation.

• Current DepEd guidelines aim to reduce pressure but stir concerns over workload.

• DepEd expresses commitment to continued evaluation of its policies.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from Philstar 2026-01-08

 

 

Very sad. Reminded me of the death of Ruth Perry in the UK. Not exactly the same circumstances but a policy review did happen after Ruth's death; hopefully a review will happen in the Philippines to try to get a better balance.