eSF7 Announcements And Updates: What Teachers Need To Know This School Year

Ever feel like school forms just keep evolving faster than we can keep up? 📄 If you’re a teacher or school head, you’ve probably heard about the eSF7 announcements and updates for SY 2025–2026. Don’t worry—I’ve gone through the details so you don’t have to. Let’s break it down together, step-by-step.

CLICK HERE TO READ the official and complete eSF7 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES

What Is the eSF7 and Why Does It Matter?

The Electronic School Form 7 (eSF7) is DepEd’s official digital tool for recording and reporting school personnel information and workload. Think of it as the master list that keeps the education system running smoothly behind the scenes.

Here’s why it’s important:

• It ensures accurate teacher and staff data.

• It’s used for workload computation and compliance reports.

• It helps track teaching and non-teaching assignments across the school year.

For SY 2025–2026, the process is changing slightly—especially for pilot and non-pilot schools—so staying updated is key.

Key Dates and Timeline for Submission

The eSF7 process follows a strict timeline:

• Before the start of the school year – Prepare the school program.

• Up to the 4th Friday from the opening of classes – Accomplish and verify the eSF7.

• 5th–12th week – SDO consolidates school submissions.

• From the 13th week onward – Central Office analyzes data.

Tip: Missing the deadline can delay processing, so mark your calendar early!

Important Updates for SY 2025–2026

This school year brings a few notable changes you should know:

• Pilot Schools – Must use the Modified eSF7 Tool (with fixed teaching load computation).

• Non-Pilot Schools – Follow the standard process but may reuse last year’s file by updating it.

• No Database Download Needed – Schools now submit the accomplished eSF7 tool directly to the SDO.

• Teaching Load Focus – Ancillary tasks are excluded from the computed workload.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Submitting

Based on DepEd’s FAQs, here are common mistakes that can cause delays:

• Submitting the wrong file format (.csv instead of .xlsx).

• Using the wrong School ID (must match SY 2024–2025 BEIS).

• Manually editing the database instead of using the built-in export feature.

• Forgetting to verify personal info and workload before submission.

ARAL Program Clarifications

The Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) programs aren’t fully integrated into the current eSF7 template yet. DepEd recommends:

• For ARAL-Math → Select NMP (National Mathematics Program).

• For ARAL-Reading → Select NRP (National Reading Program).

• For ARAL-Science → Not implemented this year; only add if DepEd issues new guidance.

Make sure to note the ARAL program in the “Section/Description” field for clarity.

Why These Updates Matter to You

As someone who has wrestled with data submissions before, I can tell you—getting it right the first time saves a lot of headaches. The updated eSF7 announcements and updates are designed to make the process smoother, but only if we follow the instructions carefully. Plus, less time fixing files means more time teaching.

If your school nails the process, it not only reflects well on your compliance but also ensures teachers’ workloads are properly recorded and protected.

Following these eSF7 announcements for SY 2025–2026 means fewer errors, faster processing, and smoother school operations. Which of these updates do you think will help your school the most?

🕰️ Rethinking Teachers’ Work Hours: A Deeper Look into CSC Resolution No. 080096

📚 A New Interpretation of the 8-Hour Workday for Teachers

The long-debated issue of teachers' working hours was revisited in CSC Resolution No. 080096, a landmark ruling that sought to balance the spirit of Republic Act No. 4670, also known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, with the broader labor standards established under RA 1880.

Unlike previous discussions that merely reiterated teachers are not exempt from the 8-hour workday, this resolution took a more holistic and teacher-centered approach, highlighting the complexity and emotional labor involved in the teaching profession. It acknowledged the duality of teachers’ duties: six hours for actual classroom teaching, and two hours for tasks that extend beyond the blackboard—often invisible but undeniably essential.

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🧾 Legal Tensions: RA 4670 vs. RA 1880

CSC Resolution 080096 emerged from a formal request by then DepEd Secretary Jesli A. Lapus who sought clarification on the apparent contradiction between Section 13 of RA 4670 and previous CSC Resolutions Nos. 91-1019 and 94-5824. Lapus argued that interpreting the law in a way that burdens teachers defeats the Magna Carta’s very purpose, which is to protect their welfare.

According to the Civil Service Commission, however, no explicit exemption in RA 4670 waives the requirement for teachers to comply with the standard 40-hour workweek. This position aligns with the Administrative Code of 1987, specifically Section 5, Rule XVII, which mandates government employees—including teachers—to render at least eight hours of work daily unless otherwise provided by special laws.

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🧠 The Mental and Physical Load of Educators

In a subtle yet significant shift, Resolution 080096 recognized that while the law limits actual classroom teaching to six hours, it doesn't dismiss the immense responsibility that teachers shoulder beyond those hours. Tasks like lesson planning, exercise correction, student counseling, and extracurricular involvement often stretch well beyond the traditional work schedule.

As supported by ACT and various teachers' unions, the teaching profession comes with unique psychosocial stressors—including high student-teacher ratios, multi-grade responsibilities, and a lack of sufficient facilities. These realities are not just anecdotal but well-documented in education sector reports, such as those released by UNESCO and local DepEd studies.

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🏫 The Faculty Room Dilemma: Where Should Teachers Work?

Another fresh insight from this resolution is the flexibility granted for non-teaching duties. The Commission now allows teachers to perform their two hours of non-classroom duties either within or outside the school premises—a significant shift from earlier rigid interpretations. However, this comes with a condition: DepEd must implement monitoring mechanisms to ensure output and accountability.

This flexibility reflects a more modern view of professional autonomy, something echoed in progressive education systems worldwide. According to comparative studies by the OECD, many countries now recognize that teacher productivity cannot always be confined to a traditional workplace setting.

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🧭 Toward a More Teacher-Friendly Implementation

Although CSC Resolution No. 080096 reaffirms that teachers must adhere to the 8-hour workday, it offers compassionate flexibility by validating the need for alternative work arrangements. It also underscores the responsibility of the Department of Education to formulate clear, fair, and implementable guidelines—a task that, as of this writing, remains a work in progress.

As cited in the resolution, “No reason is more compelling for the government than the protection of its most valuable resource”—its teachers. This reinforces the policy direction set forth by Section 1 of RA 4670, which aims to improve the economic and social status of teachers, attract talented individuals into the profession, and support national development through education.

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📌 Final Thoughts: Teachers Deserve More Than Just Legal Compliance

CSC Resolution No. 080096 does not radically change the legal framework governing teachers’ working hours—but it reframes the discourse. It urges policymakers and implementers to go beyond compliance and consider the realities teachers face daily.

Ultimately, this resolution affirms what many in the education sector already know: that actual classroom teaching is only one part of the complex, multifaceted job of being a public school teacher. It is high time that this truth is reflected not just in law, but in practice, support, and policy implementation.

Revised Guidelines on the Grant of Vacation Service Credits for Teachers (DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2024)

This blog post provides a detailed explanation of the Department of Education's (DepEd) latest guidelines on granting vacation service credits (VSC) to public school teachers in the Philippines. It summarizes DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2024, issued on September 18, 2024.

What are Vacation Service Credits (VSC)?

VSCs are extra non-monetary benefits given to teachers for work performed beyond their regular hours or duties. These credits can be used to offset absences due to illness or deductions in vacation pay for personal reasons or late appointments.

Who is entitled to VSC?

All public school teachers are entitled to VSC, with some limitations:

• Incumbents: Up to 30 days per year.
• New hires:
  • Appointed within 4 months of the school year: Up to 30 days.
  • Appointed after 4 months: Up to 45 days (for the current year only).
• Teachers reassigned to non-teaching functions: Earn regular vacation and sick leave credits only.

Eligible Activities for VSC

Teachers can earn VSC for various activities performed outside of regular school hours, including:

• Remedial/enhancement classes (weekends, summer, Christmas break)
• Early school opening activities (Brigada Eskwela, Oplan Balik Eskwela, Enrollment)
• School sports competitions (divisional, regional, national)
• Youth formation and scouting activities (outside regular school days)
• Teaching overload not compensated by teaching overload pay (up to a certain limit)
• DepEd testing and assessment activities (outside school days)
• Trainings, seminars, and short-term DepEd projects (weekends, holidays, summer)
• Services related to teaching, learning, and development programs (School, Division, Region, National) held outside regular school days
• Services rendered before, during, and after a calamity (schools used as evacuation centers)
• Registration and election days (as mandated by law)
• Conferences with parents and home visits conducted beyond regular work hours
• Coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance by Master Teachers (outside work hours)
• Other teaching-related assignments beyond regular work hours (as defined by DepEd)

Activities NOT Eligible for VSC

Activities already compensated during regular work hours are not eligible for VSC, such as:

• In-service training programs (fully funded)
• Tasks related to exhibits at fairs
• Counseling, mentoring, and coaching of students during weekdays (within regular school hours)
• Completing forms and reports related to school opening and closing (e.g., Year-End reports, SF7)
• Tasks performed as a result of designation or reassignment (non-teaching)
• Travel time for official activities (trainings, conferences, seminars, workshops)
• Personal or government-funded research

How to Earn VSC

• Before the activity, the school head or division chief submits a written request for VSC to the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) or Regional Director, specifying the activity, number of days, and duration.
• The SDS approves requests for school, district, and SDO-level activities, while the Regional Director approves regional-level activities. DepEd-wide activities require Undersecretary for HR&OD approval.
• After the activity, the school head submits documents like signed DTRs, accomplishment reports, attendance certificates, and approval memorandums.
• The school head consolidates and submits documents to the SDS within one month after the activity.
• HRMOs prepare a Special Order listing eligible teachers and earned VSC based on actual attendance, approved by the SDS.
• Personnel Unit records earned VSC in the employee's leave card.

Teaching Overload VSC

• Duly signed DTRs, School Form 7, Certification on Teaching Overload, and Certification of insufficiency of funds are required documents.
• HRMOs receive documents, prepare a Special Order listing eligible teachers and earned VSC, approved by the SDS.
• Personnel Unit records earned VSC in the employee's leave card.

Using and Availing VSC

• Accumulated VSC can be used for absences due to illness or offset deductions in vacation pay for personal reasons or late appointments.
• Teachers submit leave applications using the latest CS Form No. 6.
• The school head recommends approval/disapproval, followed by the Assistant SDS.
• HRMO processes the leave request and reflects accrued and used VSC on the leave form.
• For illnesses exceeding 5 days, a medical clearance/certificate or a notarized affidavit is required.
• Teachers indicate the reason for absence (illness/personal) and remarks (VSC applied/offset VSC deduction

Click to read DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2024.