The Department of Education (DepEd) said it has reduced teachers’ administrative paperwork by 57 percent to give educators more time for classroom instruction while easing the burden of non-teaching responsibilities.

In an interview with DZRH, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the reform is centered on preserving teachers’ instructional time, which he described as critical to improving learning outcomes.

“The goal of all these reforms is to focus on teaching time, to get back to teaching time. Teaching time is sacred. That means a teacher’s time with students is sacred,” Angara said.

He said teachers have increasingly taken on responsibilities beyond classroom instruction as schools have become venues for the delivery of various government programs and services.

Among these additional duties are assisting in programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), school feeding initiatives, vaccination activities and other community-based projects.

“Nowadays, a teacher’s job is no longer simple. They are being called upon to implement programs as government continues to expand,” Angara said.

To ease the burden, DepEd has begun deploying additional personnel, including administrative officers and project development officers, to handle operational and program-related tasks that do not require teachers’ direct involvement.

Project development officers are expected to help manage school programs and coordinate government initiatives, allowing teachers to focus on lesson delivery, learner assessment and classroom engagement.

DepEd said recruitment for these support positions is ongoing.

The department also linked the reforms to teacher welfare, saying reducing administrative workload is part of addressing concerns over stress and burnout among educators.

“It is also a wellness issue for our teachers. Let’s take care of our teachers. Let’s make sure they also have time for themselves,” Angara said.