How Long Should You Teach in a Day? - DepEd Public School Teachers Workload and Overtime Compensation

"A public school teacher may be required to render more than six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching in a day, Provided that additional compensation computed at the same hourly rate of the regular compensation, plus a premium of twenty-five percent (25) of the hourly rate shall be paid for actual classroom teaching in excess of six (6) hours and for work performed in excess of eight (8) hours."

GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CSC RESOLUTION NO. 080096 ON WORKING HOURS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS

1. In response to the request of the Department for the appropriate interpretation of Section 13 of Republic Act No. 4670, the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, the Civil Service Commission issued Resolution No. 080096 (copy enclosed) that:

a. Public school teachers are not exempt from the eight-hour workday provided for in R.A. No. 1880;

b. The limitation given in R.A. No. 4670 pertains to the time devoted to actual classroom teaching which shall not exceed six (6) hours a day; and

c. The remaining two (2) hours of work to complete the required eight-hour workday may be spent within or outside the school premises subject to the guidelines of the Secretary of Education.

3. In view thereof, the following general guidelines shall be observed in all public elementary and secondary schools:

a. Public school teachers shall render at most six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching a day, except when undertaking academic activities that require presence outside the school premises, i.e., educational trips;

b. School heads shall assign teaching loads to public school teachers to fully utilize the six (6) hour actual classroom teaching, i.e., six teaching loads at one hour per teaching load, with due regard for possible teaching intervals;

All advisorship and/or special assignments for the entire school year combined shall be considered as one teaching load;

c. A teacher with less than six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching shall render additional hours of appropriate teaching-related activities and duties enumerated in 2 (d) within the school premises to complete six (6) hours;

d. A teacher with six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching and/or equivalent teaching-related activities and duties shall render the remaining two (2) hours of work within or outside the school premises to comply with the eight-hour workday by engaging in the following teaching-related activities and duties:

1. preparation of lesson plans, action/work plans, instructional materials, evaluation/assessment tools/rubrics;

2. preparation and checking of exercises; recording of academic performance results and classroom accomplishments;

3. conduct of research;

4. attendance to seminars, workshops and similar programs;

5. counseling, mentoring, coaching of students including home visits;

6. consultations and conferences with parents;

7. performance of coordination activities and duly recognized community social services;

8. participation in the maintenance and improvement of school facilities and equipment: and

9. other activities identified in the specific guidelines under paragraph 4 below.

Read: Teaching Loads and Assignments of Public School Teachers

3. In the exigencies of the service, a public school teacher may be required to render more than six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching or more than eight (8) hours of work in a day; Provided that additional compensation computed at the same hourly rate of the regular compensation, plus a premium of twenty-five percent (25) of the hourly rate shall be paid for actual classroom teaching in excess of six (6) hours and for work performed in excess of eight (8) hours.

Overtime pay can only be claimed for actual teaching and/or work performed within the school premises. In the event of non-availability of funds, service credits shall be granted and one hour overtime work shall be 1.25 hours for purposes of determining the service credits.

4. In addition to the general guidelines herein provided, specific guidelines shall be formulated at the school level taking into account the unique conditions in schools such as the shifting of classes, if applicable, the availability of faculty rooms, classrooms and teachers, and the nature of the teaching-related duties to be given priority.

Decisions on this matter shall be agreed upon in meetings with representatives of the school administration, teachers, students and parents, preferably through the School Governing Council or any established mechanism for school-community partnership.

5. Regional Directors and Schools Division Superintendents are directed to monitor and evaluate the over-all performance of schools to ensure that the implementation of this scheme for working hours of teachers shall redound to the efficient and effective delivery of educational services.

6. Immediate and wide dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.