The Department of Education (DepEd) has launched a streamlined lesson planning policy aimed at reducing the administrative burden on public school teachers and shifting the focus toward classroom instruction quality.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced the removal of the traditional distinction between Daily Lesson Logs and Detailed Lesson Plans, replacing them with a more flexible system.
“Hindi na dapat inuubos ang oras ng ating mga guro sa pagsusulat ng mahahabang lesson plan. Ang mahalaga ay malinaw ang layunin ng aralin, handa ang guro, at natututo ang bata sa loob ng classroom,” Angara said.
The new policy introduces the “ILAW” framework, which concentrates on four core instructional elements: Intentions, Learning Experience, Assessing Learning, and Ways Forward. To maintain simplicity, DepEd has prohibited regional and division offices from requiring additional templates or extra paperwork from teachers.
Angara noted that the policy update aims to honor the professional expertise of educators.
“Ibinabalik natin ang tiwala sa ating mga guro. Sila ang mas nakakakilala sa kanilang learners, kaya dapat binibigyan natin sila ng malinaw na gabay at sapat na espasyo para magdisenyo ng lessons na tunay na tumutugon sa klase nila,” he said.
Under the new guidelines, teachers are encouraged to engage in collaborative planning, share educational resources, and adopt digital tools. While artificial intelligence can be used for formatting and grammar checks, DepEd emphasized that curriculum design and content validation still require human oversight.
Meanwhile, school heads are directed to transition from administrative auditors into instructional mentors.
The policy is set for implementation in the 2026–2027 school year, with a transition period provided during the first term. Full compliance will be required by the second term, backed by department-led training and technical support.