DepEd eases lesson planning for public school teachers

The Department of Education (DepEd) has introduced a simplified lesson planning framework aimed at reducing the paperwork burden on public school teachers and allowing them to focus more on classroom instruction.

Under new guidelines issued by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, DepEd has removed the distinction between Detailed Lesson Plans and Daily Lesson Logs and adopted a more flexible and streamlined approach to lesson preparation.

“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.

(Teachers should no longer spend their time writing lengthy lesson plans. What matters is that the lesson objectives are clear, the teacher is prepared, and the child learns in the classroom.)

The new policy introduces the ILAW framework, which stands for Intentions, Learning Experience, Assessing Learning, and Ways Forward.

Under this framework, teachers and Alternative Learning System (ALS) implementers will only be required to include the essential components of lesson planning.

Regional and division offices, schools, and community learning centers are also prohibited from requiring additional templates or supplementary documents beyond the prescribed standards.

Angara said the policy reflects DepEd’s trust in teachers’ professional judgment.

“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.

(We are restoring trust in our teachers. They know their learners better, so we should give them clear guidance and enough space to design lessons that truly respond to their classes.)

DepEd also encouraged collaborative lesson planning, resource sharing, and digitalization, saying shared lesson plans may be accepted as proof of preparation as long as teachers are able to effectively deliver the lessons.

The department said teachers may use artificial intelligence (AI) for tasks such as grammar checking and formatting, but stressed that AI cannot replace a teacher’s professional judgment in setting learning objectives, designing learning experiences, and validating classroom content.

School heads and instructional leaders were directed to shift from simply checking lesson plan submissions to providing coaching, mentoring, and constructive feedback to teachers.

The transition to the new lesson planning guidelines will begin in School Year 2026–2027, with teachers allowed to continue using their current lesson plan formats until the end of the first term.

Full implementation of the revised guidelines will start in the second term of the school year, following capacity-building activities and technical assistance for teachers and schools.—MCG, GMA News