DepEd sets rules on teachers’ overtime pay

The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued new guidelines to ensure public school teachers are compensated for overtime work.

Under DepEd Order No. 26, series of 2025, teachers who work beyond their six-hour daily teaching load will now receive overtime pay.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the order underscores the department’s commitment to “value teachers’ sacrifices” and aligns with the president’s push for additional support and benefits for educators.

The new guidelines state that overtime pay applies to teaching-related assignments performed within schools. Teachers will be compensated at 125 percent of their hourly rate for overtime on regular workdays and 150 percent for work on weekends, holidays and special non-working days.

According to the order, teachers will receive monetary compensation for at least two hours of overtime during the week. Anything less than two hours will be converted into vacation service credits.

On weekends and holidays, up to four hours of overtime will be compensated financially, with any excess hours converted into service credits.

The policy covers all full-time DepEd-employed teachers, including those in the Alternative Learning System with permanent, substitute and provisional appointments. Teachers are reminded that overtime must be pre-approved by a school head or authorized official.

This latest issuance follows reforms introduced last year when Angara signed DepEd Memorandum No. 53, series of 2024, which streamlined the rationalization of teachers’ workloads and the payment of teaching overload.