By JONATHAN HICAP
A public high school teacher in Muntinlupa City died following a classroom observation on January 7, prompting renewed calls for the Department of Education (DepEd) to reassess its observation policy.
Agnes Buenaflor, 58, a teacher at Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, reportedly collapsed during the observation. She was rushed to a hospital but did not survive.
Classroom observation is a DepEd policy used to evaluate teachers’ performance.
In a statement, Violeta M. Gonzales, schools division superintendent of Muntinlupa, expressed deep sorrow:
School staff administered first aid and ensured Buenaflor was taken to the hospital, but she later passed away. Gonzales extended condolences to her family and urged the community to honor her legacy while respecting their privacy.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said the incident highlights the urgent need to review DepEd’s classroom observation policy.
“Classroom observations must be implemented primarily as a supportive and developmental process aimed at improving pedagogy—not as a punitive or judgmental mechanism to determine a teacher’s worth or capability,” the group stressed.
The coalition emphasized that teachers’ health and wellness should be prioritized, calling for free and accessible medical services to support educators.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) NCR Union said it is coordinating with the school and is ready to extend assistance. The group appealed to the Schools Division Office of Muntinlupa to temporarily suspend classroom observations in light of Buenaflor’s death.
“We respectfully appeal to suspend all classroom observations as teachers are in mourning. The life, health, and safety of all must always come first,” ACT said.
