1. The Senate Committee on Education, chaired by Senator Teresa Aquino-Oreta, has commissioned the SEAMEO INNOTECH to undertake a nationwide study designed to arrive at a profile of public school teachers- their employment status, working environment, and overall socio-economic conditions.
   
   
2. The objective of the study is to provide legislators in general, and the Senate in particular, with accurate information that will serve as bases for legislative agenda on the provision of adequate welfare benefits and the improvement of working conditions and employment status of public school teachers nationwide. Equally important, the study is envisage to help legislators in determining the adequacy or inadequacy of appropriations made to address needs and concerns of public school teachers.
   
   
3. Project Steering Committee - A Project Steering Committee (PSC) and pool of technical experts to provide guidance and technical support for the above-mentioned project is being convened by SEAMEO INNOTECH, to include DECS officials/personnel (see Inclosure No. 1 ^* ). Participation of DECS personnel in the PSC, along with other tasks in connection with the study are hereby authorized.

All expenses covering transportation, accommodation and board relative to this activity shall be borne by the Project.

Members of the PSC are enjoined to attend a Committee meeting to be held at the SEAMEO INNOTECH on 24 March 1999 at 9:00 a.m. and other succeeding meetings/working group meetings.

4. In line with this, all regional directors and schools division superintendents are enjoined to help the staff of SEAMEO INNOTECH in floating the inclosed questionnaire (see Inclosure No. 2 *) to all public schools teachers nationwide and in retrieving the same which should be submitted to SEAMEO INNOTECH on or before April 30, 1999. Expenses of DECS personnel involved in the floating and the retrieval of the questionnaire in their respective regions/divisions and submission of the same to SEAMEO INNOTECH shall be chargeable against local funds, subject to its availability, the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

In order to enable the Committee to factor the information to be gathered by the study into the 2000 General Appropriations Act, data gathering and processing need to be completed by the third quarter of FY 1999.

5. All DECS associations, their local chapters and other organizations are also enjoined to cooperate and support the said undertaking.
   
   
6. Further information/query may be addressed to:
   

   Dr. Erlinda C. Pefianco
   Director, SEAMEO INNOTECH
   Diliman, Quezon City
   Tel. No. 924-76-81/84

7. Full cooperation of all concerned and immediate dissemination of this Memorandum are desired.

Adopted: 22 March 1999

(SGD.) ANDREW GONZALEZ, FSC
Secretary

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^* Not Included/Filed with ONAR.