Legal Bases Teachers' 6-Hour Workload

There are various issuances and memoranda supporting the 6-hour workload of teachers but unfortunately, many teachers are still clamoring for this provision to be implemented in a lot of schools across the country as school administrators have different interpretations of the said policy.

Here is a compilation of the legal bases for the said work hours provision for public school teachers:

The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act 4670, Section 3) clearly states that teachers shall not be required to render more than 6 hours of actual classroom teaching per day. It pertains to the scheduling of the teachers’ class program to NOT EXCEED six (6) hours but not necessarily have to be completely filled in with actual classroom teaching daily;

The Civil Service Commission recognizes that the work of public school teachers is distinct if not vital from the rest of other government employees. Through its Resolution No. 080096, the commission reiterates that teachers are not exempt from the 8-hour work day as provided for in R.A. 1880, yet teachers are given 6 hours a day of actual teaching at most. The remaining two (2) hours may be spent within or outside the school premises in teaching-related activities;

Deped Order No. 291, s. 2008 (Guidelines for the Implementation of CSC Resolution No. 080096 on Working Hours for Public School Teachers) states that a teacher WITH LESS than six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching shall render additional hours of appropriate teaching-related activities and duties within the school premises to complete the six (6) hours workday;

Deped Order No. 16, s. 2009 (Addendum to DepEd Memorandum No. 291, s. 2008) states that the mechanism for the additional two (2) hours work done by teachers outside of the school premises shall be agreed upon by the principal with the teachers, parents and students, preferably through the School Governing Council, in this case, the Faculty and Employees Association as the duly-recognized body representing the teachers;

The said order further specifies that: (a) teachers who choose to render the remaining two hours of work outside the school premises MUST NOT be subjected to salary deductions; and, (b) teachers SHOULD NOT be required to submit means of verification (MOVs) as proof of services completed during the remaining two hours of work rendered outside the school premises; (https://www.deped.gov.ph/2018/10/03/statement-on-calls-to-fully-implement-the-six-hour-workday/)

DepEd Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio further clarifies, in this recorded video,  that teachers only need to stay inside school premises for six (6) hours while the remaining two (2) hours may be spent outside the school in accomplishing their additional school-related tasks (https://www.facebook.com/jhoann.bunag/videos/1314219451936725);

There are various DepEd schools (NCR, Region III, CALABARZON) that implement the 6-hour school-based reporting for teachers while allowing them to perform other tasks within or outside school premises for the remaining two hours;

In reality, the teachers’ work hours extend way beyond the office hours and outside school premises as they spend their personal time to prepare for their lesson, check tests, grade outputs, conduct researches and remediation activities, among others;

Teachers have already availed of internet services at their homes, due to the ongoing pandemic situation, to conduct distance learning classes and other teaching-related tasks while intermittent internet connectivity is often experienced at school, resulting in teachers’ productivity loss and unnecessary bringing home of school tasks, thus, further affecting their time for themselves and loved ones;

Teachers religiously adhere to the government’s NO NOON BREAK POLICY as services to stakeholders continue and remain uninterrupted even during the 12 noon to 1 pm period;

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THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IS HEREBY URGED to officially establish the 6-hour daily reporting of teachers while giving the teachers the option for the 2-hour work provision to be spent within or outside school premises. The body’s decision on the matter will set the official schedule of teachers from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and teachers may opt to continue their school-related tasks within or outside school premises until 3:30 p.m. on each given workday.

 Download the file here.