In recognition of the “invaluable work” of teachers especially during the pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday, Sept. 30, announced that their allowable service credits last school year have been expanded.

“DepEd acknowledges that many teachers have been asked and authorized under certain circumstances to report for work even on weekends and certain holidays for School Year 2020-2021, in light of the extraordinary preparations that the Department had to undertake to ensure learning continuity for our children,” DepEd said in a statement.

After consultation with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), as “well as careful study of the applicable laws and rules,” DepEd has issued clarificatory guidelines on the grant of vacation service credits to teachers for School Year 2020-2021 in light of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

DepEd said that per DepEd Memorandum No. 065, series of 2021, the activities under DO No. 53, s. 2003 (Updated Guidelines on the Grant of Vacation Service Credits to Teachers) for “which service credit may be granted have been expanded if done during weekends and holidays from June 1, 2020 to July 10, 2021.”

These activities, DepEd said, include orientation and training activities related to the implementation of distance learning delivery modalities, including writeshops; enrollment activities, including the encoding of the accomplished enrollment form in the Learner Information System (LIS) enrollment module; and activities related to Brigada Eskwela, Oplan Balik Eskwela, and Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd.

Also included are mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities; pre-school opening assignments exploring foundational topics for deepening during the year, orientations of learners on the implementation of the learning delivery modalities and utilization of learners’ materials; and development, quality assurance, production, and delivery of learning materials, are also included in the expanded list.

“In anticipation of the higher number of service credits that may be claimed by teachers, the 15-days service credit limitation under DO No. 53, s. 2003 was suspended for SY 2020-2021,” DepEd said.

DepEd explained that the claim for vacation service credits shall be “supported” by a memorandum or letter of authority from the Schools Division Superintendent and/or the Regional Director, as the case may be; duly signed and approved recommendation/request by the office/school head; and Individual Daily Log and Accomplishment Report (IDLAR), or other official attendance monitoring mechanisms that are recorded and verifiable.

Vacation service credits shall not be granted for services rendered without previous authority, DepEd stressed.

“One hour of service rendered during weekends and holidays is equivalent to 1.5 hours of service credit,” DepEd said.

“Meanwhile, one workday of vacation service credit shall be granted for every eight hours of accumulated service rendered,” it added.

DepEd reiterated that it remains “committed to provide them the full measure of benefits accorded by the laws and the rules.”