The Department of Education (DepEd) recognizes that a vibrant and quality teaching workforce is at the core of delivering quality basic education. Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the minds of young learners and preparing them for the challenges of the future. However, teachers often face various issues that hinder their ability to focus on their primary task of teaching, such as excessive administrative tasks. To address this concern, DepEd has introduced the MATATAG Agenda, which aims to promote teacher quality and welfare. As part of this initiative, DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, titled “Immediate Removal of Administrative Tasks of Public School Teachers,” has been issued to create a more conducive environment for effective teaching and learning.
Table of Contents
The MATATAG Agenda and DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024
The MATATAG Agenda is a comprehensive plan that seeks to enhance the delivery of quality basic education while prioritizing teacher quality and welfare. It recognizes the importance of supporting teachers to teach better and creating a work environment that upholds and protects their well-being. DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, is a key component of this agenda, focusing on the immediate removal of administrative tasks from teachers’ workload.
The order outlines several key provisions, including:
1. Removal of administrative tasks from teachers’ workload, without prejudice to teacher ancillary tasks defined by other DepEd issuances. These tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Personnel administration
- Property/physical facilities custodianship
- General administrative support
- Financial management
- Records management
- Program management (e.g., feeding, school DRRM, and other related programs)
2. Assigning the sole responsibility of performing administrative tasks to School Heads and non-teaching personnel.
3. Defining the roles and responsibilities of various DepEd offices and personnel in implementing the policy.
4. Establishing transitory provisions and effectivity guidelines.
By removing administrative tasks from teachers’ workload, DepEd aims to enable teachers to maximize their time in actual classroom teaching and focus on tasks directly related to teaching and academic learning.
Impact of Administrative Tasks on Teacher Workload and Performance
The 2018 Teacher Workload Balance Study, conducted by DepEd, identified approximately fifty common ancillary services assigned to teachers in addition to their regular teaching load. These extra duties often result from understaffed schools being unable to provide sufficient support services. The absence of standardized guidelines and a mechanism to review these tasks further compounds the issue.
Research from various institutions suggests that the increase in administrative assignments significantly impacts teacher workload, ultimately affecting teaching quality and teacher well-being. Teachers who are overburdened with administrative tasks have less time to prepare engaging lessons, provide individualized attention to students, and engage in professional development activities. This, in turn, can lead to decreased job satisfaction, increased stress levels, and potential burnout.
DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, recognizes the importance of addressing this issue by establishing clear guidelines and review mechanisms to ensure that teachers’ workload and working hours are maximized for actual classroom teaching and tasks incidental to their normal teaching duties.
Implementation Strategies and Challenges
To effectively implement DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, several strategies have been outlined, including:
1. Augmenting non-teaching personnel requirements in schools by:
- Clustering deployed non-teaching personnel, with each cluster composed of a maximum of three schools.
- Hiring additional personnel under Contract of Service (COS) or Job Order (JO), which may be charged against Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) or other alternative sources of funding.
2. Provision of tools and procedures by the Office of the Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development (OUHROD) to guide the implementation of the policy.
While these strategies are designed to facilitate the smooth implementation of the policy, challenges may arise during the process. Some potential challenges include:
- Ensuring the availability of sufficient non-teaching personnel to handle the administrative tasks removed from teachers’ workload.
- Providing adequate training and support to School Heads and non-teaching personnel to effectively perform their new responsibilities.
- Addressing the potential resistance to change from teachers who may have grown accustomed to performing certain administrative tasks.
- Ensuring the timely and efficient transfer of administrative tasks from teachers to School Heads and non-teaching personnel during the transitory period.
To overcome these challenges, DepEd emphasizes the importance of collaboration, communication, and continuous support. The Department encourages field offices to work closely with schools, providing the necessary technical assistance and resources to ensure a smooth transition. Regular monitoring and evaluation will also be crucial in identifying and addressing any issues that may arise during the implementation process.
Grievance Mechanism and Other Provisions
DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, also includes a grievance mechanism to address concerns, complaints, and/or violations arising from the implementation of the policy. As outlined in Section V.D, these issues will be addressed through the grievance machinery provided under DO No. 35, s. 2004, or pertinent rules on administrative cases in the civil service. This ensures that any grievances related to the implementation of the policy are handled in a fair and efficient manner.
The order also includes a repealing clause (Section VII), which states that all other DepEd Orders, Memoranda, and related issuances, rules and regulations, and provisions that are inconsistent with the guidelines are repealed, rescinded, or modified accordingly. The separability clause (Section VIII) ensures that if any provision of the order is declared invalid or unenforceable by competent authority or the courts, all other provisions not affected shall remain in force and in effect.
The effectivity clause (Section X) states that the DepEd Order shall take effect immediately upon its approval, issuance, and publication on the DepEd website. Certified copies of the order shall be registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the University of the Philippines Law Center (UP LC), UP Diliman, Quezon City.
Transitory Provision and Implementation Timeline
To ensure a smooth and effective implementation of DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, the order includes a transitory provision (Section IX) that outlines specific measures to be implemented by Schools Division Offices (SDOs) within a period not exceeding sixty (60) calendar days. These measures include:
- Clustering Strategies – Schools without existing or sufficient non-teaching personnel shall be clustered, with each cluster being composed of a maximum of three (3) schools.
- Deployment of administrative support personnel to perform administrative tasks for the clustered schools.
- Immediate transfer and turnover of existing administrative tasks performed by teachers to school heads and non-teaching personnel.
- Hiring of additional Administrative Support personnel, if necessary.
The Regional Offices (ROs) and SDOs concerned shall provide schools with the necessary support during this transition period. The transitory provision also acknowledges that in view of the ongoing study on the School Organizational Structure and Staffing Standards, provisions that may be found inconsistent with its implementation shall be subject to further review.
Final Thoughts
DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, represents a significant step towards empowering teachers and creating a more conducive environment for effective teaching and learning. By removing administrative tasks from teachers’ workload, the policy aims to enable teachers to focus on their core function of teaching and maximize their time in actual classroom instruction.
The successful implementation of this policy has the potential to yield long-term benefits for teachers, learners, and the education system as a whole. Teachers who are able to dedicate more time and energy to teaching are likely to experience increased job satisfaction, reduced stress levels, and enhanced professional growth. Learners, in turn, will benefit from more engaging and effective instruction, leading to improved learning outcomes.
However, the effective implementation of DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, requires the support and collaboration of all stakeholders, including DepEd offices, School Heads, non-teaching personnel, and teachers themselves. It is essential that all parties work together to ensure a smooth transition and address any challenges that may arise during the implementation process.
As DepEd continues to prioritize teacher quality and welfare through initiatives like the MATATAG Agenda and DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, it is crucial that educators, education professionals, and stakeholders remain committed to supporting these efforts. By working together to create a more supportive and empowering environment for teachers, we can ensure that the Philippine education system continues to deliver quality basic education and prepare learners for the challenges of the future.
Frequently Asked Questions about DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024: Removing Administrative Tasks from Teachers
DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024 signifies a major shift in policy aimed at improving the well-being and effectiveness of public school teachers in the Philippines. The order focuses on alleviating the administrative burden on teachers, allowing them to dedicate more time and energy to their primary role: teaching.
To clarify the provisions of this important policy and address common queries, this FAQ document provides comprehensive answers to frequently asked questions regarding DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024.
The primary goal of DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024 is to remove administrative tasks from the workload of public school teachers. This aims to free up teachers’ time, allowing them to focus on teaching and student engagement, thereby enhancing the quality of education.
This order covers all DepEd-employed teachers engaged in classroom teaching on a full-time basis, regardless of whether they hold permanent, provisional, or substitute status. It applies to teachers in all public elementary and secondary schools (junior high school and senior high school).
Administrative tasks are defined as tasks related to the effective and efficient operations of schools or programs, projects, and services that are not directly related to teaching and academic learning. These tasks should be performed by School Heads and non-teaching personnel.
The order provides a detailed list of administrative tasks that are no longer the responsibility of teachers. These include, but are not limited to:
Personnel Administration: Preparing service records, processing leave applications, managing personnel data.
Property/Physical Facilities Custodianship: Maintaining inventory of school property, overseeing repairs and maintenance of facilities.
General Administrative Support: Answering phones, photocopying documents, distributing supplies.
Financial Management: Handling petty cash, processing financial reports, managing school funds.
Records Management: Maintaining student records, filing documents, managing school archives.
Program Management: Implementing and managing school-wide programs such as feeding programs, disaster risk reduction management (DRRM), and other related initiatives.
The order mandates the immediate transfer of existing administrative tasks from teachers to school heads and non-teaching personnel. This transition should take place within 60 calendar days of the order’s effectivity.
The order addresses this potential challenge by outlining strategies to augment non-teaching personnel:
Clustering: Schools without sufficient non-teaching personnel can be clustered together, with each cluster consisting of a maximum of three schools. Administrative staff can then be deployed to serve the needs of the clustered schools.
Hiring: Schools and division offices are authorized to hire additional personnel under Contract of Service (COS) or Job Order (JO) arrangements. The cost of hiring can be charged against Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) or alternative funding sources.
SDOs play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and successful implementation of DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024. Their responsibilities include:
Coordination with Local Government Units (LGUs): SDOs are tasked with coordinating with LGUs to secure locally-hired personnel for schools facing shortages of non-teaching staff.
Orientation and Capacity Building: SDOs are responsible for providing orientation and capacity building programs for school personnel to ensure a clear understanding of the order’s provisions and implementation guidelines.
Monitoring and Evaluation: SDOs must monitor and evaluate the compliance of schools with the order and provide timely technical assistance to address any challenges.
School Heads are at the forefront of implementing this policy within their respective schools. Their responsibilities include:
Ensuring Compliance: School Heads must ensure that teachers are not assigned administrative tasks and that the prescribed workload for teachers is strictly adhered to.
Task Turnover: School Heads are responsible for overseeing the smooth transition of administrative tasks from teachers to non-teaching personnel.
Monitoring and Evaluation: School Heads are tasked with monitoring the implementation of the order within their schools and addressing any concerns or grievances that may arise.
The order outlines a grievance mechanism for addressing concerns, complaints, and violations arising from its implementation. These matters can be addressed through the grievance machinery provided under DO No. 35, s. 2004 (Revision of the Grievance Machineries of the Department of Education) or pertinent rules on administrative cases in the civil service.
The Department of Education, through the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development (BHROD), will monitor, evaluate, and review the implementation of this policy. BHROD will collect feedback from personnel across different governance levels, assess the policy’s impact on teacher workload and well-being, and identify areas for improvement.
Full Text: DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024
DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024
January 26, 2024
IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS
To:
Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Heads
Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Teachers
All Others Concerned
- The Department of Education (DepEd) believes that the core of quality basic education is a vibrant and quality teaching workforce. Under the MATATAG Agenda, the Department is committed to enhancing the delivery of quality basic education while promoting teacher quality and teacher welfare. In this regard, the Department issues the enclosed guidelines on the Immediate Removal of Administrative Tasks of Public School Teachers.
- This DepEd Order (DO) is guided by agency directions to remove the nonteaching tasks of teacher to give support to teachers to teach better. This is geared toward building a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning to thrive.
- All DOs and other related issuances, rules, regulations, and provisions that are inconsistent with these guidelines are repealed, rescinded, or modified accordingly.
- This DO shall take effect immediately upon its approval, issuance, and publication on the DepEd website. This shall be registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the University of the Philippines Law Center (UP LC), UP Diliman, Quezon City.
- Any clarification regarding this DO shall be coordinated with the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development-School Effectiveness Division, 4th Floor, Mabini Building, Department of Education Central Office, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City through email at bhrod.sed@deped.gov.ph or telephone number at (02) 8633-5397.
- Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.
Immediate Removal of Administrative Tasks of Public School Teachers
Rationale
The Department of Education (DepEd) fervently believes that the core of quality basic education is a vibrant and quality teaching workforce. With this commitment, it is imperative to build a work environment for teachers that upholds and protects their welfare. This shall include measures to protect the workload and working hours of teachers.
Reports and studies have indicated that teachers are being assigned additional tasks that shift their focus from teaching. The 2018 Teacher Workload Balance Study identified approximately fifty (50) common ancillary services assigned to teachers in addition to their regular teaching load. These extra duties are often the result of understaffed schools being unable to provide sufficient support services. The absence of standardized guidelines and a mechanism to review these tasks further compounds the issue. Research from various institutions suggests that the increase in administrative assignments significantly impacts teacher workload, ultimately affecting teaching quality and teacher well-being.
Through this Order, the Department aims to remove the administrative tasks of teachers to enable them to maximize their time in actual classroom teaching. With this endeavor, they shall be able to focus on the teaching and learning process and become effective facilitators of learning. Furthermore, this initiative by the Department shall help protect and uplift the welfare and well-being of public school teachers to support them to teach better which in turn shall realize quality learning among the Filipino learners.
Scope
This DepEd Order provides guidelines on the immediate removal of administrative tasks of public school teachers.
This Order covers all DepEd-employed teachers engaged in classroom teaching, on a full-time basis, under permanent, provisional, or substitute status in all public elementary and secondary schools.
This policy shall be implemented across all governance levels. The guidelines, parameters, and processes outlined herein shall guide DepEd schools, Schools Division Offices (SDOs), Regional Offices (ROs), and Central Office (CO).
Definition of Terms
For this purpose, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
a. Administrative tasks refer to tasks related to the effective and efficient operations of schools or programs, projects, and services which are not directly related to teaching and academic learning. These shall be performed by School Heads and non-teaching personnel.
b. Non-Teaching Personnel refer to those occupying non-teaching positions whose primary duties and responsibilities contribute to the delivery of basic education services and achievement of agency outcomes, but neither involve nor directly support the actual conduct of teaching or delivery of instruction.
c. School Heads refer to persons responsible for the administrative and instructional supervision of the school or cluster of schools as provided for in RA No. 9155. For the purpose of this policy, a duly designated Teacher-in-Charge (TIC) is considered as a School Head.
d. Teachers refer to those occupying teaching positions directly engaged in teaching or delivery of instruction in the elementary and secondary levels (junior high school and senior high school) in schools and Community Learning Centers (CLCs).
Policy Statement
This DepEd Order aims to enable teachers to focus on their core function of teaching through the removal of administrative tasks assigned to teachers. This Order shall ensure that teachers’ workload and working hours are maximized for actual classroom teaching and tasks incidental to their normal teaching duties.
Guidelines and Procedures
A. Removal of Administrative Tasks
1. Administrative tasks shall be removed from the workload of teachers, without prejudice to the teacher ancillary tasks as defined by other DepEd issuances. Accordingly, School Heads and non-teaching personnel shall have the sole responsibility to perform the administrative tasks enumerated hereunder. These tasks shall include, but are not limited to the following:
a. Personnel Administration
b. Property/Physical Facilities Custodianship
c. General Administrative Support
d. Financial Management
e. Records Management
f. Program Management
i. Feeding
ii. School DRRM
iii. Other related programs
2. To augment the non-teaching personnel requirements of schools, the following measures may be implemented:
a. SDOs may cluster deployed non-teaching personnel in accordance with the deployment parameters issued by the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development (BHROD); and
b. SDOs and schools may hire personnel under Contract of Service (COS) or Job Order (JO) which may be charged either against Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) or other alternative sources of funding.
B. Tools and Procedures
1. To provide guidance and further details for the implementation of this policy, the Office of the Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development (OUHROD) shall provide all necessary tools and procedures through a strand Memorandum, particularly on clustering of schools and provision of additional MOOE for the hiring of COS/JO personnel, if necessary.
2. The relevance and applicability of the tools and procedures shall be subjected to periodic review and adjustments by OUHROD as may be necessary.
C. Roles and Responsibilities
1. Central Office
OUHROD through the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development (BHROD):
a. Conducts policy orientation and capacity-building to field offices as deemed necessary;
b. Monitors and evaluates compliance with this Order and provides appropriate and timely technical assistance to field offices;
c. Periodically assesses and reviews the implementing guidelines based on gathered reports and results of monitoring and evaluation; and
d. Provides supplementary tools to enhance the implementation of the Policy.
2. Regional Offices
Office of the Regional Director
a. Ensures overall adherence of the SDOs and evaluates the impact of the implementing guidelines of the Policy;
b. Prepares a regional implementation plan to support the objectives of this policy; and
c. Prepares and submits reports and provides recommendations regarding this policy.
Administrative Unit – Personnel Section
a. Monitors and evaluates compliance with this Order, in coordination with the Policy, Planning and Research Division, by conducting workload audit through the checking of the consolidated report on eSF7 (School Personnel Assignment List and Basic Profile) of the SDO.
Field Technical Assistance Division (FTAD)
a. Provides appropriate technical assistance, through its composite team, to enhance the capacity of their SDOs in addressing school concerns.
3. Schools Division Offices
Office of the Schools Division Superintendent
a. Ensures overall adherence of schools and evaluates the impact of the implementing guidelines of the Policy;
b. Coordinates with the Local Government Unit (LGU) and endeavors that schools without non-teaching items shall be provided with locally-hired personnel pending the completion of the Guidelines on the School Organizational Structure and Staffing Standards and deployment of school-based non-teaching personnel;
School Governance and Operations Division (SGOD)
a. Revisits SDO functions and processes requiring reports and creating administrative tasks for teachers and identifies measures to remove other tasks assigned to teachers;
b. Orients, capacitates, and provides appropriate and timely technical assistance to school personnel on the implementation of this Order;
c. Addresses school queries and concerns in relation to the implementation of this policy;
d. Monitors and evaluates the compliance with this Order; and
e. Provides technical assistance to schools based on the results of monitoring and evaluation.
Administrative Unit-Personnel Section
a. Ensures strict compliance with the deployment and prescribed workload for school-based personnel by conducting personnel and workload audits in coordination with the Planning and Research Section.
4. Schools
a. School Heads ensure strict compliance with the prescribed workload of teachers using eSF7; and
b. Strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of this Order.
D. Grievance Mechanism
Concerns, complaints, and/or violations arising from the implementation of this policy shall be addressed through the grievance machinery provided under DO No. 35, s. 2004 (Revision of the Grievance Machineries of the Department of Education) or pertinent rules on administrative cases in the civil service.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The Department of Education, through the BHROD, shall monitor, evaluate, and review the implementation of this policy. Furthermore, BHROD-SED shall gather feedback on the implementation of these guidelines from concerned personnel across different governance levels.
Anchored on the principles of decentralization and shared governance, the Department aims to empower the field offices in terms of monitoring and evaluating policy implementation and providing technical assistance.
Repealing Clause
All other DepEd Orders, Memoranda, and related issuances, rules and regulations, and provisions which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby rescinded or modified accordingly.
Separability Clause
If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unenforceable by competent authority or the Courts, all other provisions not affected shall remain in force and in effect.
Transitory Provision
To ensure the smooth and effective implementation of this Order, the SDOs shall immediately implement the following within a period not exceeding sixty (60) calendar days:
a. Clustering Strategies – Schools without existing or sufficient non-teaching personnel shall be clustered, with each cluster being composed of a maximum of three (3) schools;
b. Deploy administrative support personnel to perform administrative tasks for the clustered schools;
c. Immediately transfer and turnover existing administrative tasks performed by teachers to school heads and non-teaching personnel; and
d. Hire additional Administrative Support personnel, if necessary.
The RO and SDO concerned shall provide schools with the necessary support during this transition period.
In view of the ongoing study on the School Organizational Structure and Staffing Standards, provisions that may be found inconsistent with its implementation shall be subject to further review.
Effectivity
This DepEd Order shall take effect immediately upon its approval, issuance, and publication on its website. Certified copies of this Order shall be registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the University of the Philippines Law Center (UP LC), UP Diliman, Quezon City.
References
- Department of Education. (2023). DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2023 or the Guidelines on the Recruitment, Selection, and Appointment in the Department of Education
- Department of Education. (2009). DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2009 – Addendum to DepEd Memorandum No. 291, s. 2008 (Guidelines for the Implementation of CSC Resolution No. 080096 on Working Hours for Public School Teachers)
- Department of Education. (2008). DepEd Memorandum No. 291, s. 2008 -Guidelines for the Implementation of CSC Resolution No. 080096 on Working Hours for Public School Teachers
- Civil Service Commission. (2008). CSC Resolution No. 080096 dated January 28, 2008
- Department of Education. (2005). DepEd Order No. 9, s. 2005 – Instituting Measures to Increase Engaged Time-on-Task and Ensuring Compliance Therewith
- Department of Education. (2004). DepEd Order No. 35, s. 2004 – Revision of the Grievance Machineries of the Department of Education
- Official Gazette of the Philippines. (2001). Republic Act No. 9155 – Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001
- Official Gazette of the Philippines. (1966). Republic Act No. 4670 – The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers
