By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter

Filipinos with Bachelor’s degree in Education and working as housemaids in Qatar and other countries, will now have the chance to pursue a career in teaching back home with better pay and benefits, the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) has announced.
Dubbed as “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am/Sir (In the Philippines, You are the Ma’am/Sir)” is a new project of the Philippine government aimed at providing licensed teachers, who are employed as domestic workers abroad, to return home to teach.
It is estimated that there are about 35,000 Filipino housemaids in Qatar and many of them hold a Bachelor's degree in Education.
“A component of the National Reintegration Programme for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the project also aims to re-direct OFW-teachers to pursue or resume their teaching careers,” said labour attaché Leopoldo De Jesus in a press statement.
The initiative also includes licensed teachers who work in teaching and non-teaching jobs in Qatar and in other parts of the world.
De Jesus noted that the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines has 39,000 vacancies for Teacher 1 positions in public schools.
He said the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) had asked Education Secretary Armin Luistro to allot at least 300 of the total number to OFWs who want to return home and teach.
“OFWs who will be hired will receive an entry level monthly salary of P26,000 (around QR2,166) and a number of benefits and allowances,” he noted.
In Qatar, four OFW-teachers passed the licensure examination for teachers (LET) in October last year and POLO had recommended them for the project.
The Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) holds yearly board examinations for Filipino teachers, engineers, architects, nurses, physical therapists, and accountants (among others) in Qatar and in other GCC countries.
Since 300 slots was allotted to OFWs, De Jesus stressed that the project is a “first come first serve basis.” “We urge our compatriots to apply as early as possible.”
He said many Filipinos who graduated with a degree in Education are working as housemaids in various parts of the world. LET passers with teaching experience within the last five years (or more), as well as those without any experience, are all qualified to apply.
OFWs with teaching experience beyond five years and those with no experience will have to undergo a refresher course. Interested applicants can visit POLO in West Bay or call its land line number (4488-4485).
De Jesus said the initiative is part of the Philippine government’s efforts to prevent “brain drain.” It is learnt that a lot of Filipino teachers leave the country to find greener pastures abroad such as working as caregivers in Italy.
However, OFWs who found teaching jobs in the Middle East and in neighbouring Asean countries would likely stay than return home.
In Qatar, for example, Philippine community schools pay their teachers comparatively better salaries ranging from QR3,000 to QR4,000 (around P48,000) per month along with free accommodation and transport.
A teacher from the Philippine School of Doha told Gulf Times that they also earn extra QR3,000 (P36,000) a month by tutoring young Arab students.
In Vietnam, Filipino English teachers and tutors receive a monthly salary of $3,000 or more.