The Department of Education (DepEd) has introduced a simplified and more flexible lesson planning framework aimed at reducing teachers' administrative workload and allowing them to focus more on classroom instruction.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara issued the new Guidelines on Lesson Planning and Learning Design, replacing DepEd Order No. 42, s. 2016, as part of reforms for the new school year.

The revised policy eliminates the distinction between Detailed Lesson Plans and Daily Lesson Logs and adopts a unified approach centered on instructional thinking, learner needs and effective teaching.

“This reform is designed to shift the focus away from compliance-heavy paperwork and toward high-quality teaching,” Angara said.

At the core of the new policy is the ILAW Framework, which consists of four components: Intentions, Learning Experience, Assessing Learning and Ways Forward. The framework guides teachers in identifying learning goals, designing meaningful classroom activities, assessing learner understanding and planning remediation, reteaching or enrichment when needed.

Under the guidelines, teachers and Alternative Learning System implementers are no longer required to include components beyond those prescribed in the framework. Regional and division offices, schools and community learning centers are likewise prohibited from requiring additional lesson plan templates or supplementary documentation.

DepEd said the policy reflects its trust in teachers as professionals capable of making instructional decisions based on their learners' needs.

To further reduce workload, the department is encouraging collaborative lesson planning, resource sharing and digitalization. Shared lesson plans will be accepted as valid evidence of preparation, provided teachers can effectively deliver the lessons.

The policy also clarifies that lesson planning guides and sample templates are merely reference materials and should not be treated as the only national format. A lesson plan will be considered sufficient if its learning intentions, learning experience, assessment approach and ways forward are clearly aligned.

DepEd also allows the responsible use of artificial intelligence for tasks such as grammar checking and formatting but emphasized that AI cannot replace a teacher's professional judgment. Teachers remain responsible for setting learning objectives, designing instructional strategies, responding to learner needs and validating any AI-assisted content before using it in class.

School heads and instructional leaders have also been directed to shift from merely checking lesson plan submissions to coaching, mentoring and providing constructive feedback to help improve teaching practices.

The revised policy promotes inclusive and context-responsive instruction by requiring lesson planning to consider learners with disabilities, multigrade classes, Alternative Learning System learners, Indigenous Peoples Education contexts and possible disruptions during emergencies.

Teachers may continue using their existing lesson plan formats until the end of the first term of School Year 2026-2027, while DepEd rolls out capacity-building and technical assistance programs ahead of the full implementation of the new guidelines in the second term.