DepED to implement flexible scheduling for teachers

To address the issue of teachers managing 7-8 daily 45-minute classes, the Department of Education (DepED) will implement "flexible" teaching loads. This change will reduce the number of classes to 5-6 per day, with each class lasting 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Under the new "flexible" scheme, teachers will return to 5-6 loads, each lasting one hour. Schools and school heads will have flexibility in scheduling, provided the required number of minutes per week is met. Each subject no longer needs to be 45 minutes daily; they can be 1 hour or 55 minutes per subject or held four times a week if necessary to avoid having 7-8 loads daily.

Benjo Basas, National Chairman of the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC), has been one of the leaders advocating for teachers' rights and pushing for the reevaluation or scrapping of DepEd Orders No. 5 and 10, s. 2024.

DepEd Order No. 5, s. 2024 introduces a revised curriculum framework that enhances student learning but increases teachers' daily teaching loads to 7-8 classes of 45 minutes each. DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2024 mandates additional administrative tasks and documentation, contributing to the heavier workload. Basas criticized these orders for overburdening teachers and potentially compromising the quality of education due to reduced class time and increased administrative duties.

"Under the MATATAG Curriculum, teachers' daily schedules involve 7-8 teaching loads, each with only 40-45 minutes per class. This situation not only burdens teachers but also impacts the quality of education due to reduced class time," explained Basas.

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Stay tuned for further updates as we await the release of the DepEd Order.