Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has approved a more streamlined and classroom-based work, as well as specific ancillary tasks for all public school teachers nationwide.

“Vice President and Secretary of DepEd Sara Duterte signed DepEd Order 05, s. 2024 as a further step to ensure that teachers can devote more to classroom teaching,” the DepEd said in a statement on Tuesday.

Duterte allowed the rationalization of public school teachers’ workload as a follow-up policy on DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, an earlier order providing for the removal of their administrative tasks.

The DO stated it intends to promote teachers’ welfare, help teachers enhance learning processes, and improve learning outcomes, among others.

Under DO 5, “teachers shall render eight hours of service per day, of which six hours shall be devoted to actual classroom teaching.”

Public school teachers shall also use the remaining two hours for their ancillary tasks, which may be done within or outside school premises.

In terms of specific ancillary tasks, the DO limits its coverage to “curriculum planning, curriculum delivery and pedagogy, assessment of learner’s progress, and homeroom guidance and management.”

“Other tasks that do not fall under the specified teaching-related and ancillary tasks of the teachers shall be delegated to the administrative personnel of the schools,” the DepEd said.

Overload pay

The DO 5, meanwhile, assured overtime pay for teachers in excess of the prescribed six hours, provided it will not exceed two hours per day.

“The number of minutes accumulated on a weekly basis shall be converted into hours for the computation of appropriate teaching overload pay,” it reads.

Teachers in schools with teacher shortages and those relieving for other teachers, affecting their vacant periods, are eligible for the overload pay.

“Payment of teaching overload shall be made every quarter, subject to the extent of allotment for the purpose,” the DepEd said.

If there are insufficient funds, however, the overload pay shall be converted to earned vacation service credits or leave credits. (PNA)