The Department of Education (DepEd) has scrapped the old one-size-fits-all class suspension policy. Starting this school year, schools will follow a four-level system that tailors responses to specific emergencies — from a simple power outage to a super typhoon.
DepEd Order No. 14, issued June 4 ahead of School Year 2026-2027, introduces the Learning Continuity Framework. The goal is simple: keep kids safe without throwing away weeks of learning.
It's a direct response to a grim statistic. A January report from the Second Congressional Commission on Education found that public schools average only 191 actual class days per year. Some regions lose up to 42 days — more than two months — to disaster suspensions, plus legislated activities and celebrations.
Here's how the new system works.
Level 1 – Hayo means normal. Learners and teachers are safe and ready. Regular in-person classes run, but teachers must check students' mental health. The return to full pace after any disruption must be gradual, with structured remediation.
Level 2 – Hinay kicks in during mild disruptions: tropical cyclone signals 1 or 2, yellow rainfall warning, earthquakes Intensity IV and below, power outages during class hours, caution-level heat index, unhealthy air quality, transportation strikes, or potential outbreaks. Learning slows down. Teachers switch to online classes, digital modules, broadcast materials, or print packets. The number of subjects per day is cut, and activities are shortened. This level can last up to three days.
If it drags on, schools must do frequent check-ins and strengthen home-school communication.
Level 3 – Hinga is for more serious situations: signal no. 3, orange rainfall warning, Intensity V earthquake, power outages of two to three days, extreme caution heat index, acutely unhealthy air, bomb threats, or actual viral outbreaks. Academic demands are heavily reduced. Teachers conduct check-ins. Parents receive "family kits" to support home-based learning. Learners get broadcast materials, learning packets, or low-demand tasks focused on reviewing past lessons.
This level can run up to four days. If the emergency persists, the school shifts to full flexible learning.
Level 4 – Hinto is the highest alert. It applies when tropical cyclone signals reach 4 or 5, red rainfall warnings are issued, earthquakes hit Intensity VI or above, power goes out for four or more days, the heat index hits extreme danger, air quality is at emergency level, or there's armed conflict, famine, drought, or a pandemic. Learning stops completely. School heads activate crisis management and coordinate relief. Teachers only check in on students' well-being and provide resources focused on psychological safety.
This level maxes out at five consecutive class days. If the disaster lasts longer, schools can shift to flexible learning once minimum safety and stability return.
School heads now have the power to suspend classes at a granular level — for specific classrooms or grade levels — instead of declaring a division-wide cancellation. They coordinate closely with schools division superintendents and local government units.
The framework also covers individual disruptions: fire damage to a classroom, illness or death in the family, displacement, or other psychosocial issues affecting a student's ability to learn.
Makeup classes are required if the suspension eats into the mandated school calendar. DepEd said it will release further details on how those will be scheduled.
The new order takes effect immediately for SY 2026-2027, which starts in August. Schools are expected to familiarize themselves with the levels and prepare contingency plans before classes begin.