The Department of Education (DepEd) increased the number of vacation service credits (VSCs) of public school teachers from 15 to 30 days under new guidelines introduced by DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2024, signed by Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara.
The updated guidelines streamline the administration of VSCs, which allow teachers to offset absences due to illness or personal reasons, or to recover salary deductions during vacation periods.
The revised order now entitles incumbent teachers with at least one year of service, as well as newly hired teachers appointed within four months after the start of classes, to 30 days of VSCs annually.
Additionally, newly hired teachers whose appointments are issued four months after the start of classes will receive 45 days of VSCs per year.
The calculation of service credits beyond working hours also improved. The new guidelines state that for every hour of eligible service rendered during school days, teachers will now earn 1.25 hours of VSC. Meanwhile, if the service is rendered during Christmas or summer breaks, weekends, or holidays, this will be equivalent to 1.5 hours of VSC per hour.
Teachers assigned to perform ancillary tasks or additional teaching-related duties outside of their regular hours will also benefit from the new guidelines. These include attending training sessions on weekends or holidays, conducting remedial or enhancement classes, election-related duties, parent-teacher conferences, and home visits.
In cases where teaching overload is not compensated through overload pay, teachers will be credited with 1.25 hours of VSC for every hour of additional teaching, on top of their 30-day entitlement.
Approval of VSCs will require authorization from the Schools Division Superintendent or another designated authority.
According to DepEd, the new guidelines reflect their commitment to addressing the evolving demands on teachers and ensuring they are properly compensated for additional work, particularly during periods like summer or long vacations.
The move also aims to safeguard the teachers’ net take-home pay by recognizing their participation in DepEd-led activities at the national, regional, and division levels, alongside its partners and stakeholders.
