What to expect during class suspensions under DepEd’s new guidelines

MANILA, Philippines – Part of the string of policy reforms from the Department of Education (DepEd) is the issuance of revised guidelines on class suspensions. 

DepEd Order No. 14, issued on June 4 ahead of the start of school year (SY) 2026-2027, seeks to balance the need for protection with the goal of preventing learning loss during emergencies.

In a report released last January, the Second Congressional Commission on Education noted that public schools have an average of around 191 actual class days per year, with some regions losing up to 42 days to disaster-related suspensions, as well as legislated activities and celebrations.

What happens to education now when emergencies occur? Here’s what you need to know:

Four-level framework

With its new guidelines, the DepEd introduced the Learning Continuity Framework, a levels-based system to determine a school’s response when faced by various emergencies. 

The guidelines show that school heads are empowered to enforce granular, highly localized class suspensions based on actual conditions of the school and its community. This is in close coordination with schools division superintendents and local government units.

“This ensures that decisions are tailored strictly to affected classrooms or specific grade levels, doing away with the usual generic, division-wide ‘no classes for all’ cancellations,” the DepEd said in a news release.

The levels can also be implemented for individuals or classes affected by small-scale learning disruptions, such as fire damage to classrooms, illness or death in the family, displacement, or “other psychosocial circumstances that significantly affect their capacity to participate in regular learning activities.”

Level 4-Hinto 

Emergencies: Tropical cyclone wind signal nos. 4 and 5, red rainfall warning, earthquake with recorded Intensity VI or above, power outage for four or more days, heat index level at extreme danger, air quality level at emergency, armed conflict, famine, drought, pandemic

When learners’ safety and basic needs are at risk amid extremely unsafe conditions within the community or family, then learning is halted completely. School heads will activate crisis management protocols and coordinate relief initiatives.

Teachers will only conduct check-ins to determine students’ well-being and provide learning resources that focus on psychological safety.

This level can be implemented for a maximum of five consecutive class days. If disaster or emergency impacts are prolonged, schools may shift to flexible learning programs once minimum safety and stability are restored.

Level 3-Hinga

Emergencies: Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 3, orange rainfall warning, earthquake with recorded Intensity V, power outage for two to three days, heat index level at extreme caution, air quality level at acutely unhealthy, bomb threat, actual viral or bacterial outbreak

Academic demands are heavily reduced as heightened stress persists amid ongoing community recovery. Schools will continue to prioritize the well-being of teachers and learners. 

Teachers will conduct check-ins while parents and guardians are given “family kits” to support home-based learning. 

At this level, learners may access broadcast materials, learning packets, or flexible, low-demand collections of short learning tasks, and other simplified learning resources that focus on reviewing concepts from previous lessons. 

This level can be enforced up to four consecutive class days. If emergency impacts are prolonged, schools will shift to flexible learning programs.

Level 2-Hinay

Emergencies: Tropical cyclone wind signals no. 1 and 2, yellow rainfall warning, earthquake with recorded Intensity IV and below, power outage during class hours, heat index level at caution, air quality level at unhealthy, transportation strike, potential viral or bacterial outbreak

Mild stress or uncertainty is experienced due to minor to moderate disruption. At this level, learning is adjusted and slowed down.

This means teachers may facilitate learning through online synchronous classes, digital modules, broadcast materials, print modules, or learning packets. 

The number of subjects scheduled per day will be reduced and learning activities will be shortened.

This level can run up to three consecutive class days. If disruptions persist, schools must conduct frequent check-ins on learners, limit learning goals to essentials, and strengthen home-school communication.

Level 1-Hayo

When learners and teachers are safe, as well as emotionally and mentally ready to engage in sustained learning, then regular in-person classes will resume.

Once they go back to school, teachers must continue to check the mental health status of their students. 

The return to regular pacing must not be abrupt, with schools implementing structured remediation and other learning recovery measures after prolonged disruptions. 

Makeup classes

The DepEd said makeup classes are required if the number of actual class days is below 90% of mandatory contact days. The calendar for school year 2026-2027 has 185 days under the instructional block, or the period of actual teaching and learning.

A full class day is missed when schools implement Level 4-Hinto, while a half class day is missed under Level 3-Hinga and Level 2-Hinay.

The scheduling of makeup classes is at school heads’ discretion. 

The DepEd said periodical exams, as well as senior high school students’ work immersion, will only be held during in-person classes or Level 1-Hayo.

It also reminded schools that check-ins conducted at Level 3-Hinga are part of the teaching load of teachers and they receive compensation for conducting makeup classes.

What schools will do

School heads will report the learning continuity level of their school via the Education in Emergency (EiE) Learning Continuity dashboard mobile application within the first 12 hours of any disruption.

During emergencies, teachers should report their safety status to their school heads. Homeroom teachers will contact the parents and guardians of their learners to do routine checks.

“Schools are also directed to update their Learning and Service Continuity Plans annually before the school year and every term, conduct capability mapping of learners and teachers, establish emergency call trees, and orient parents and guardians on learning continuity during the opening block of the school year under the three-term school calendar,” the DepEd said.

“For teachers, the policy provides for capacity building on trauma-informed teaching, psychological first aid, and learning delivery across different emergency levels,” the agency said. 

It added that support on mental health and emergency assistance must be given to teachers, especially in high-risk or under-resourced areas. – Rappler.com