DepEd strengthens Education in Emergencies guidelines

Following the numerous class disruptions due to natural calamities and crisis, the Department of Education (DepEd) released an improved guidelines for Education in Emergencies (EiE) for Academic Year 2026-2027.

The EiE policy vows to serve as the guidelines for learning continuity before, during, and after an unforeseen emergency by shifting focus on teacher and learner’s safety above any educational requirements.

​“Ang tunay na learning continuity ay may malasakit—alam kung kailan magpapatuloy, kailan babagal, kailan magche-check in, at kailan kailangang huminto muna para unahin ang kaligtasan,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara stressed.

Implementation shall apply to all public elementary and secondary schools, DepEd-operated Community Learning Centers (CLCs), and Deped-recognized Alternative Learning System (ALS) providers. 

Private learning institutions are not required, but are free to adopt the provided guidelines. 

In with the ‘new’

The new policy puts learners and teachers’ safety at priority, highlighting the department’s stakeholder-centered principle when an emergency persists.

“The Department of Education (DepEd) is committed to prioritizing the safety of its stakeholders while ensuring that learning continues,” the institution stated.

Instead of a regional scope, the policy enables school heads to directly coordinate with the Local Government Unit (LGU) to tailor suspensions under certain local conditions.

“True learning continuity is about knowing when to continue, when to slow down, when to check in and when to stop to prioritize safety,” the Education secretary emphasized.

Learning Continuity Framework

Unlike the previous system, a levels-based decision-making system will be implemented to guide schools in determining the most appropriate response based on the teacher and learner’s experience and circumstance.

The levels include Hayo (continue), where regular in-person classes are recommended to continue; Hinay (ease-in), where regular classes are intentionally slowed to accommodate stakeholders’ stress management; Hinga (check-in), where learning includes instructional activities widely focused on well-being as a response to heavy workload and demands; and Hinto (stop), where learning is halted completely to focus the attention to the stakeholders.

“The framework is anchored on the principle that teacher and learner well-being is foundational to education,” DepEd assures.

This policy’s scope includes disruptions such as, but not limited to, ‘fire damages to classrooms, illness or death in the family, displacement, or other psychosocial circumstances that significantly affect their capacity to participate in regular learning activities’.