DepEd rolls out inclusion policy

The Department of Education (DepEd) has launched its Inclusive Employment (IE) Policy, describing it as a turning point for the agency after years of fragmented approaches to diversity and non-discrimination across its offices.

The policy, DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2025, was unveiled before government agencies, foreign partners, civil society groups, teachers and employees. It aligns with the Marcos administration’s education agenda to modernize the teaching workforce and strengthen institutional culture.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the new framework affirms DepEd’s responsibility to provide a safe, impartial and dignified working environment for more than one million teaching and non-teaching personnel nationwide.

Before the policy’s rollout, inclusion practices within DepEd varied greatly by region and division, resulting in uneven access to opportunities and inconsistencies in workplace protections.

The IE Policy consolidates these efforts into a unified governance system. It mandates equal-opportunity standards in hiring, promotions, and day-to-day operations, and establishes clear accountability mechanisms, including annual inclusion reports from all governance levels.