THE Department of Education (DepEd) has announced a significant increase in vacation service credits (VSCs) for teachers, raising the entitlement from 15 days to 30 days. This move aims to address teachers’ demands and ensure proper compensation for additional work.
DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2024, which streamlines the administration of VSCs, was issued on Friday. Under the revised order, incumbent teachers with at least one year of service, as well as newly hired teachers appointed within four months after the start of classes, will now receive 30 days of VSCs annually. Newly hired teachers whose appointments are issued four months after the start of classes will receive 45 days of VSCs per year.
VSCs are leave credits earned by public school teachers for services rendered during summer or long vacation, Christmas vacation, weekends, and holidays, as well as for teaching overload. These credits are used to offset absences due to illness or to offset proportional deductions in vacation salary due to absences for personal reasons or late appointments.
The new guidelines also outline the calculation of VSCs:
Teachers will earn 1.25 hours of VSC for every hour of eligible service rendered during school days.
For service rendered during Christmas breaks, summer breaks, weekends, or holidays, teachers will earn 1.5 hours of VSC per hour.
In cases where teaching overload is not compensated through overload pay, teachers will receive 1.25 hours of VSC for every hour of additional teaching, on top of their 30-day entitlement.
The DepEd emphasized that these 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 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.
