The Department of Education (DepEd) has increased the number of leave credits for public school teachers from 15 to 30 days per year, under a new policy aimed at protecting their take-home pay from deductions.
DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2024, signed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara on September 18, grants 30 days of vacation service credits annually to teachers who have been employed for at least one year or those appointed within four months after classes start. Newly hired teachers with later appointments will receive 45 days of credits.
Vacation service credits are awarded for tasks performed beyond regular working hours, often during holidays or breaks, and can be used to cover absences or offset deductions in pay. The new directive, which replaces the 15-day credit limit under a previous policy, will take effect 15 days after its approval.
DepEd emphasized that teachers will now earn 1.25 hours of vacation credits for every hour of extra work during school days, and 1.5 hours for services rendered during holidays or breaks. These credits also cover additional duties, such as weekend training, election tasks, and parent-teacher conferences.
This move, DepEd said, reflects the agency’s commitment to recognizing the evolving responsibilities of teachers and ensuring they are fairly compensated for their extra work.
