DepEd Child Protection and Anti-Bullying: School Head Duties

The DepEd child protection policy, DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, is still in force, but in 2026 a public school head works under a fuller set of rules than that order alone. DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026 brings the learner rights and protection rules together in one set of guidelines. The revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Bullying Act took effect in August 2025, and a September 2026 memorandum set interim rules on who may serve as a school’s Learner Formation Officer. Below is what those issuances ask of the school head: the committee and officer to put in place, the prevention measures, the steps and time limits when a report comes in, and the mental health support that Republic Act No. 12080 adds.

It is written for teachers preparing for the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH), for newly designated school heads, and for teachers-in-charge. The Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH), adopted through DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020, expects a Career Stage 1 school head to “Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of existing national and local policies related to learner discipline” (indicator 3.8.1).

Key points

• DO 40, s. 2012 is still in force. DO 006, s. 2026 says it “does not amend or repeal” the Child Protection Policy; it repeals by name only four old orders on hazing and cellphones, plus any provisions inconsistent with it.
• The revised Anti-Bullying IRR holds the school administrator to account. Disseminated by DepEd Memorandum No. 090, s. 2025, it repealed DepEd Order No. 55, s. 2013, and says zero reporting is not automatically a sign of good performance.
• Every school needs a Learner Formation Officer, and it cannot be the counselor. DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026 gives priority to assistant school head designates and head teachers, then teachers, and sets October 9, 2026 as the deadline.
• The officer investigates; the school head decides. Under DM 055, s. 2026, the officer gives findings and recommendations and the school head decides the sanction. This overrides the DO 006 template, which lets the officer (and, at the first level, the teacher) impose penalties; the revised IRR’s due-process rule also gives the written decision on any penalty to the school head.
• The time limits are short. A report goes to the proper Disciplining Authority within 48 hours, the fact-finding report reaches the school head within 10 calendar days, and a bullying decision is due within 30 calendar days.
• Bullying rules reach beyond the school gate. They cover a two-kilometer radius, school activities and online acts that create a hostile environment for the victim at school.
• School counselors remain scarce. DepEd Order No. 019, s. 2026 sets the qualification standards for the counselor positions under RA 12080, but only 3.3% of public schools reported any guidance position in SY 2023-2024.

Which child protection and anti-bullying rules apply in 2026?

The table lists the rules that bear on a public school head’s child protection and anti-bullying duties, as of 30 October 2026.

Three more items round out the list. DepEd Memorandum No. 068, s. 2022 disseminated Republic Act No. 11930, against online sexual abuse or exploitation of children. DepEd Memorandum No. 013, s. 2022 disseminated Republic Act No. 11648, which raised the age for statutory rape to under 16 and names teachers among those liable for qualified seduction of a minor aged 16 to under 18. DO 006, s. 2026 also cites OM-OUOPS-2024-05-01115, DepEd’s guidelines on the Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act No. 11313) in basic education. DepEd Region VIII circulated that office memorandum with Regional Memorandum No. 210, s. 2024; Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse Complaints in DepEd explains what it requires.

How DO 006, s. 2026 fits with DO 40, s. 2012 and the revised IRR

DO 006, s. 2026 names ten issuances it governs, including DO 40, s. 2012, DO 18, s. 2015 and the IRR of RA 10627. It then says: “This Order serves as a general guideline and does not amend or repeal the above issuances. Its purpose is to supplement, harmonize, and clarify existing instructions and procedures.” Its process flows route adult-to-learner cases through DO 40, s. 2012 and DO 49, s. 2006 (Annex A), learner-to-learner cases through RA 11930, DO 18, s. 2015 and the revised Anti-Bullying IRR (Annex B), and learner-to-community cases through DO 18, s. 2015 (Annex C).

DO 40, s. 2012 has its own bullying procedure in Section 12, written before the revised IRR. The revised IRR repealed the old IRR and states: “All other Department Orders, issuances, or provisions thereof, that are inconsistent with this Revised IRR are likewise repealed, revised, or modified accordingly.” For bullying, the school’s procedure now follows the revised IRR, the template policy in Annex D of DO 006, s. 2026, and DM 055, s. 2026, which overrides the template on who decides the penalty. Where the texts seem to differ in a live case, ask the division Legal Unit which rule it applies.

The Child Protection Committee in DepEd schools

Section 10 of DO 40, s. 2012 requires “All public and private elementary and secondary schools” to “establish a Child Protection Committee (CPC)”. DO 003, s. 2021 makes it the school’s structure “for planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, and coordination of child protection concerns”, with the School Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) as the lead office at the division.

DO 40, s. 2012 sets the composition:

1. School Head/Administrator - Chairperson
2. Guidance Counselor/ Teacher - Vice Chairperson
3. Representative of the Teachers as designated by the Faculty Club
4. Representative of the Parents as designated by the Parents-Teachers Association
5. Representative of pupils, students and learners as designated by the Supreme Student Council
6. Representative from the Community as designated by the Punong Barangay, preferably a member of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC).

DO 006, s. 2026 defines the committee with the same six members. The School Governance Council, PTA and partners guide covers the bodies that name four of them.

Under DO 40, s. 2012, the committee drafts a school child protection policy and code of conduct, “which shall be reviewed every three (3) years”. It runs awareness activities, builds a referral and monitoring system, identifies learners at risk of significant harm, and coordinates with the PNP Women and Child Protection Desks and the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO). DO 18, s. 2015 adds that it “shall also constitute as a Restorative Justice Panel (RJP) when deemed appropriate”. Under DO 006, s. 2026 it completes the Initial Risk Assessment Form when a probable incident is found, and prepares the bag inspection plan, which the school head approves.

That is a heavy load. EDCOM II’s final report, drawing on field visits, reports that committees “often operate with limited time, training, and authority” and “are often activated only after serious incidents” (printed p. 199). The EDCOM II final report guide summarizes the Commission’s other findings.

The Learner Formation Officer under DM 055, s. 2026

The revised IRR requires the school head to “Designate a Learner Formation Officer to handle bullying incidents, taking into consideration the population of the school and the historical data on the prevalence of bullying.” It adds: “In no case shall the school counselor and school counselor associate be designated as a Learner Formation Officer.” The template policy in DO 006, s. 2026 says the officer “shall also be referred to as the Discipline Officer.”

DM 055, s. 2026 answers the questions schools raised about who that officer should be. “For the interim”, the school head designates from three groups:

i. Assistant School Head Designates (ASHDs);

ii. Head Teachers (HTs) who are not designated as Department Heads or as Teacher-in-Charge (TIC); and

iii. Teachers.

• Priority. “In designating LFOs, priority shall be given to ASHDs and HTs. A teacher may be designated as an LFO only when no ASHDs or HTs are available for the purpose.”
• Teachers. For a teacher, the role is “a teaching-related assignment subsumed under the Advocacy component of Guidance and Advocacy”. Priority goes to teachers “who have less than six hours of teaching load and/or who are not assigned as class advisers or to any other teaching-related assignments”. Work beyond regular hours is paid as overtime under DepEd Order No. 026, s. 2025, on that order’s conditions: work authorized in advance, done inside the school, in blocks of at least two hours, by a teacher who has already taught six hours that day and thirty that week. The guide to teaching-related assignments explains how such designations are made.
• The designation order. A teacher is designated “through a Designation Order with the concurrence of the concerned teacher/s, duly signed by the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).”
• More than one. The school head “may designate more than one LFO to ensure adequate coverage across key stages or grade levels.”
• Who may not serve. “The School Counselor, School Counselor Associate, guidance advocate, or any other non-teaching personnel shall not be designated as LFO.”
• Deadline. “all schools shall ensure that an LFO is designated by October 9, 2026.”

Part III of the memorandum covers ALS learning centers. In a school led by a teacher-in-charge with no head teacher, only the third group is left. The guide to principals, head teachers and teachers-in-charge explains who holds which post, and the human resource management guide covers teaching-related assignments.

The officer gives learners and parents a copy of the anti-bullying policy, runs an anonymous reporting channel, handles bullying and non-bullying complaints, keeps consolidated statistics, and renders desk duty “for at least two hours a day”. DM 055, s. 2026 then draws the line: “The LFO shall provide findings and recommendations to the school head, who shall be responsible for determining the appropriate sanctions and rendering a decision thereon based on the findings of the LFO.”

This changes the template. Annex D of DO 006, s. 2026 makes the teacher, the officer or the school head the “Disciplining Authority” for each level and lets “the teacher, Learner Formation Officer, or Principal/School Head” impose penalties (Sections 3, 16, 17 and 21). DM 055, s. 2026, which clarifies both the revised IRR and DO 006, s. 2026, limits the officer to “the processing of bullying and non-bullying complaints to facilitate resolution” and leaves the decision to the school head, as Rule VII of the revised IRR does. If your school adopted Annex D word for word, amend it so that the officer recommends and the school head decides. DM 055, s. 2026 is silent on first-level cases a teacher resolves, but the revised IRR’s due-process rule gives the written decision on any penalty to the school head; confirm the practice with the division.

The revised IRR adds a standing meeting: “the principal or school head, school counselor, school counselor associate, and learner formation officer shall convene on a quarterly basis to review all reports of bullying”.

Prevention: what the DepEd child protection policy asks schools to put in place

DO 006, s. 2026 sorts prevention into protocols, education and awareness, and advocacy, within a “whole-of-society approach” that draws in parents, LGUs, police and NGOs.

Protocols and security

• Learner Handbook and code of conduct. DO 006, s. 2026 has the Bureau of Learner Support Services (BLSS) develop a Learner Handbook, to be posted “in at least 3 conspicuous locations within the school or on the school website”; none had been issued by 30 October 2026. Its Standardized Code of Conduct will bar personnel from “romantic/sexual relationships with learners, corporal punishment, humiliating discipline, exposure to vices, and posting harmful content”. The RA 6713 guide for school heads covers the ethics side.
• Localized anti-bullying policy. All public schools “shall adopt a localized anti-bullying policy reflecting learners’ and community needs, submitted to the Schools Division Office (SDO), and integrated into the Learner Handbook”, using the Annex D template “in full or in part”. The revised IRR says the policy “shall be updated every three (3) years” and “discussed during the opening of the school year at the parents’ and learners’ orientation”.
• Bag inspections. Entry checks use “authorized non-contact methods” only, never “‘stop and frisk’ procedures or physical pat-downs”, and a full search needs reasonable suspicion on observable grounds. “School Heads are required to implement a monthly random routine bag inspection across all grade levels”, under a plan submitted “to the Schools Division Superintendent through the SGOD-DRRMO”.
• Guards, CCTV and devices. Schools “may hire personnel funded through the school’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE)”, as the school MOOE guide notes, and are encouraged to install CCTV. They “shall prohibit the use of cellphones and other portable electronic devices by both learners and personnel during instructional periods”, except for academic purposes and emergencies.

Training and positive discipline

Schools must provide “mandatory capacity-building for teaching and non-teaching personnel, including school heads and CPC members”, on topics such as conflict resolution, gender sensitivity and LRP case management. DO 006, s. 2026 names the learning action cell and in-service training as venues, and recommends “Launching of LRP campaigns during the National Children’s Month each November”.

DO 006, s. 2026 states: “Corporal punishment or any measures that are physically, sexually, or psychologically harmful, degrading, humiliating, abusive, or violent are strictly prohibited.” Discipline must “Prioritize the best interest of the learner”, be proportionate, and “Be applied only for a valid cause”. DO 40, s. 2012’s list of corporal punishment is wider than many assume. It includes “ridiculing or denigrating the child”, making a child wear a sign, and “Permanent confiscation of personal property of pupils, students or learners, except when such pieces of property pose a danger to the child or to others”.

The Kaagapay Program for parents

DM 002, s. 2026 set up two-day Kaagapay parent sessions on values, positive discipline, bullying and home-school partnership. It was effective “until the end of the school year 2025–2026”, which ended on March 31, 2026. As of 30 October 2026, DepEd had not extended it, though DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026 still refers schools to it. It is not a current duty; ask the division whether a new round is planned.

When a report comes in: reporting, referral and timelines

DO 006, s. 2026 requires each school to write standard operating procedures (SOPs) that “define roles, timelines, reporting channels, protective measures, and investigation protocols”.

Immediate response and documentation

Any school personnel told of bullying in progress must stop it, separate the learners, remove the victim (or the alleged bully) from the scene, and see to the victim’s safety, “providing or facilitating prompt medical attention where necessary, and securing a medical certificate in cases involving physical injury”. DO 006, s. 2026 lists emergency hotlines such as 911, the 1383 MAKABATA Helpline and the Learners’ Telesafe Contact Center Helpline at (02) 8632-1372; calling them “does not exempt the school from submitting a formal incident report”.

“All incidents shall be documented using an Incident Report and Intake Sheet”, and “These records shall be confidential and maintained solely by the Registered Guidance Counselor or the designated CPC personnel.” When a probable incident is found, the committee completes the Initial Risk Assessment Form (Annex H).

The time limits

One pair of figures differs. A respondent’s answer period is five school days in the bullying template (Annex D, Section 16) but 10 calendar days in the order’s general rule (VII.A.4). The revised IRR sets no answer period, so the template is the only text written for bullying; write the period your school applies into its policy and SOPs.

The appeal periods do not conflict. DO 006, s. 2026 sets 15 days for LRP cases in general, then says bullying decisions may be appealed “within 10 days from receipt of the decision, in accordance with the Revised IRR of the Anti-Bullying Act.” That sentence names only the Office of the Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs; the IRR’s route runs through the Division Office and the Regional Office first (see Appeals below). Confirm the route with the division Legal Unit.

Delay has a cost. Under DO 40, s. 2012, failing to report or decide a child abuse case on time “without justifiable cause” is a ground for a neglect-of-duty charge. For bullying, the revised IRR makes school personnel who fail to comply with it “subject to administrative proceedings in accordance with the Civil Service Rules and other relevant issuances of DepEd.”

Referral and the routes for each case

• The respondent is school personnel: the case goes to the investigation stage under DO 49, s. 2006, and the SDS facilitates “investigations and disciplinary actions via SDO Legal Unit”.
• The respondent is an adult who is not school personnel: refer to the “Local Social Welfare and Development Office, PNP-WCPD, PNP-Anti Cyber Crime Unit” or a hospital WCPU.
• A learner’s act amounts to a crime: follow DO 18, s. 2015, inform the parents in writing, and refer the case to the LSWDO or the PNP. For a serious offense, DO 18, s. 2015 requires the school head, with the guidance counselor or teacher, to “report the case immediately to the law enforcement officer”.

Complaints under DO 40, s. 2012 “shall be within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Department, and shall not be brought for amicable settlement before the Barangay, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.”

School heads have their own exposure. Under RA 7877, a head informed of sexual harassment by the offended party who takes no immediate action is solidarily liable for damages (Sec. 5), and under RA 11313 failing to act on reported harassment can lead to a fine on conviction (Sec. 23). See Harassment, Child Abuse and Hazing: Cases on School Heads.

How the case against school personnel then runs is in Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse Complaints in DepEd.

Records and confidentiality

Schools keep “a centralized database recording all reported incidents, actions taken, and outcomes” and a public record of bullying statistics, in which the names of learners who bullied stay “strictly confidential”. Summary reports go to the Division LRP Focal Person.

Confidentiality covers “all parties involved in an incident”. Records follow Republic Act No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act of 2012, and a breach leads to administrative action “without prejudice to any civil or criminal action”. For a teacher who is the respondent, DO 40, s. 2012 adds that “no publicity shall be given to any disciplinary action against a teacher during the pendency of his or her case.”

Bullying under the revised Anti-Bullying IRR

What counts as bullying, and where

Section 4(e) of the revised IRR defines bullying as “any severe, or repeated use by one or more learners of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another learner”. It must cause or threaten harm, create a hostile environment at school, infringe the learner’s rights at school, or disrupt the school. The IRR names six forms: physical, psychological or emotional, verbal, cyber, social, and gender-based. Bullying is an act of a learner against a learner; an adult’s act against a learner falls under DO 40, s. 2012. Teachers must also report “precursors”, acts “which indicate that bullying may occur or that a learner is starting to bully or to be bullied”.

Section 9 prohibits bullying on school grounds, on property “up to a two- (2) kilometer radius from the school”, at school-related activities, at bus stops and on school vehicles, and through school devices. It also reaches acts through a device the school does not own, at a place that is not school-related, “if the act or acts in question create a hostile environment at the school for the victim, infringe on the rights of the victim at school, or materially and substantially disrupt the education process or the orderly operation of a school”. Retaliation is also prohibited.

Handling a report badly has a cost. In Mother Goose Special School System, Inc. (2025), the Supreme Court held a private school liable for mishandling a punching incident among classmates, and its diligence in hiring teachers was no defense; see Is a Principal Liable When a Pupil Is Injured?.

Levels of discipline and penalties

The revised IRR sets three levels of discipline, and Section 21 of the DO 006, s. 2026 template attaches penalties.

Non-readmission lets a learner finish the year but not return the next; exclusion means being “immediately dropped from the class list of the school”, with schooling continued elsewhere. A learner under investigation in a case that may lead to expulsion “may be preventively suspended for thirty (30) days” when the evidence of guilt is strong and the school head is “morally convinced” that the learner’s stay disrupts the school or endangers others. The bully and the parents also undergo an intervention program, which “shall, in no case, substitute disciplinary measures”. If bullying “results in serious physical injuries or death”, the case goes under Republic Act No. 9344, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, as amended.

Due process, parents and appeals

Rule VII of the revised IRR sets the minimum due process “In all cases where a penalty is imposed on the bully”:

a. The learners and the parents or parent-substitute shall be informed of the complaint in writing;

b. The alleged bully shall be given the opportunity to answer the complaint in writing, with the assistance of the parents or the parent-substitute;

c. The decision of the school head shall be in writing, stating the facts and the reasons for the decision; and

d. The decision of the school head may be appealed in accordance with the appeal procedure under Rule V of this Revised IRR.

When bullying is found, the school head notifies law enforcement if criminal charges may be pursued, takes disciplinary action, and notifies the parents of both the bully and the victim. When learners from more than one school are involved, “the school first informed” notifies the other school.

Appeals. Under Rule V of the revised IRR, an appeal goes to the Division Office, then the Regional Office, then “the Undersecretary of the Legal and Legislative Affairs by authority of the Secretary of DepEd”, whose decision “is final and executory”. Each appeal is filed within 10 days of receiving the decision, and “No motion for reconsideration will be entertained throughout the process of appeal.”

Mental health support under RA 12080

Republic Act No. 12080, the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, approved on December 6, 2024, is the newest layer. Its IRR took effect on March 21, 2025, and provides for:

• a Care Center in every public school, headed by a School Counselor and working “In coordination with the Child Protection Committee”, including with “learners involved in bullying”;
• a Mental Health and Well-Being Office in every SDO, headed by a Schools Division Counselor at Salary Grade 24, which counsels learners “particularly in cases where there is no School Counselor available”;
• services without a building: “The absence of a physical Care Center shall not prohibit the School from providing school-based mental health services”; and
• interim staff: until positions are filled, DepEd “may assign teachers or other DepEd personnel” to deliver the services, with training and honoraria.

The IRR lists the positions the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is to create: School Counselor Associate I to V (Salary Grades 11 to 15), School Counselor I to IV (Salary Grades 16, 18, 20 and 22) and the Schools Division Counselor (Salary Grade 24). DepEd Order No. 019, s. 2026 adopts CSC Resolution No. 2600920 (June 30, 2026) on their qualification standards. A School Counselor I needs a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling or Psychology and RA 1080 eligibility. A School Counselor Associate I needs a bachelor’s degree in Guidance and Counseling or Psychology, any bachelor’s degree with at least 18 units in either, or a related degree with 18 units of Behavioral Science and 200 hours of supervised practicum, plus second level eligibility. Offices publish the positions only “Upon the creation of plantilla positions” by the DBM; DepEd told the CSC it had ensured “the inclusion of 10,000 School Counselor Associate I positions in the National Expenditure Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.”

DM 059, s. 2026 recommends universal mental health and psychosocial screening from August 10 to December 14, 2026 in schools that have trained personnel and a functional referral network. It adds that what learners disclose during health services “shall not, in themselves, constitute grounds for the imposition of penalties pursuant to DO 006, s. 2026.”

The gap is wide. Only 3.3% of public schools report any guidance position in DepEd’s SY 2023-2024 data, as the report on school counselors, nurses and librarians shows, and EDCOM II reports that “Around 79% of DepEd guidance counselor posts (4,460 items) remain unfilled” (printed p. 198). RA 12080, Bullying and School Mental Health covers EDCOM II’s findings on bullying and the counselor shortage, and what the law requires of schools.

Common mistakes in child protection cases

1. Settling a case at the barangay. DO 40, s. 2012 bars “amicable settlement before the Barangay”. A quiet apology does not replace documentation, referral and a decision.
2. Reading zero reports as success. The SBM checklist of DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2024 asks whether “The school has zero bullying incidence”, but the later revised IRR says zero reporting “shall not automatically be construed as a reflection of positive performance of the school.” EDCOM II reports “strong informal pressure to keep official bullying counts low” (printed p. 199). Aim for no bullying, not no records; the SBM guide explains the checklist.
3. Missing the time limits. Unjustified delay in an abuse case is a ground for a neglect-of-duty charge under DO 40, s. 2012, and non-compliance with the revised IRR is itself a ground for administrative proceedings.
4. Breaking confidentiality. Naming learners in a faculty meeting, a group chat or a PTA assembly breaches DO 006, s. 2026 and the Data Privacy Act.
5. Keeping Annex D’s decision rule. A policy copied word for word from the template still lets the teacher or the officer impose penalties; DM 055, s. 2026 and the revised IRR give the decision to the school head.
6. Sanctioning on an anonymous report alone. The template policy in DO 006, s. 2026 states that “no sanction shall be taken against an alleged bully solely based on an anonymous report and without any evidence to substantiate the allegation of bullying.”
7. Disciplining by humiliation. Ridiculing a learner, or keeping a confiscated item for good when it poses no danger, is corporal punishment under DO 40, s. 2012.

What the school head does: the first weeks of the school year and when a report comes in

In the first weeks of the school year

1. Confirm the Learner Formation Officer under DM 055, s. 2026, and post the officer’s and the committee’s contact details “prominently” in each classroom (Section 23(d) of the template).
2. Reconstitute the Child Protection Committee with representatives named by the faculty club, PTA, learner government and Punong Barangay, and schedule its training.
3. Send the annual bullying report to the SDO within the first week, covering the previous school year.
4. Review and post the anti-bullying policy in three conspicuous places and online, amend any Annex D wording on who decides penalties, and discuss the policy and the device rule at the parents’ and learners’ orientation.
5. Approve the bag inspection plan (Annex E) prepared by the committee, and send it to the SDS through the SGOD-DRRMO.
6. Open the reporting channels, including an anonymous one, set up the case database, and calendar the quarterly reviews and November’s Children’s Month campaign.
7. Put it in the plans. The school improvement planning guidebook includes a Child Protection Policy Implementation Checklist (Annex 2B), and a committee member sits on the planning team; the School Improvement Plan guide shows where both fit.

When a report comes in

Make the learner safe first, calling a hotline if the situation is urgent. Then have the incident documented and the risk assessed, route the case by its type (see the referral routes above), and inform the parents in writing. From there, the time limits table sets the sequence, ending with your written decision and the report to the SDS and the Regional Director. Arrange interventions and aftercare for the victim, the bully and the bystanders throughout.

In emergencies the same duties of care apply; the Super El Niño continuity guide covers learner safety when classes are disrupted.

Child protection and the PPSSH: strands and Career Stage 1 indicators

The PPSSH has no strand called child protection; the duties in this guide draw on several strands. The table gives the Career Stage 1 indicators in the words of DO 024, s. 2020.

The PPSSH guide lists every indicator at all four career stages. The Domain 3 guide reads strand 3.8, learner discipline, with EDCOM II’s findings.

Practice: how the NASH may test this

DepEd Memorandum No. 069, s. 2025 says the NASH covers “conceptual and situational critical thinking questions aligned with” the PPSSH, using the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. The three items below are original practice items, not actual or recalled NASH items. Each option is scored 3-2-1-0, as in the NASH practice questions with answers. Timed sets are on the NASH Reviewer assessment page.

Question 1

Indicator 3.8.1, Learner discipline. Career Stage 1, Conceptual, Moderate.

A Grade 8 learner tells her adviser that, over two weekends, some classmates posted edited photos of her in a group chat they created on their own phones, with captions mocking her weight. Since then she has avoided the canteen and missed three days of class. The classmates’ parents say the school has no say over what their children do at home. Which statement best describes the school’s authority under the revised IRR of RA 10627?

• A. The school has no authority over these acts, because they happened outside school hours, away from campus, and on phones that the school does not own or use.
• B. The acts fall under the school’s anti-bullying policy only if the group chat was used for a class activity or was created by a teacher for the class.
• C. The acts are covered because they create a hostile environment for the learner at school, so the school acts with written notice, written answers and a written decision.
• D. The acts are covered because they create a hostile environment for the learner at school, so the school head should suspend the classmates at once to protect her.

Answer and explanation

Best answer: C. Points: A = 0, B = 1, C = 3, D = 2.

• A (0 points, Prestructural). Section 9 of the revised IRR covers acts on devices the school does not own, away from school, when they create a hostile environment at school for the victim.
• B (1 point, Unistructural). A link to school activities is one ground for coverage, but this misses the hostile-environment ground that fits the case.
• C (3 points, Relational). This connects the off-campus rule to the effect on the learner at school and to the due process the IRR requires before any penalty.
• D (2 points, Multistructural). The coverage is right, but a penalty without notice, answer and written decision skips due process.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 1 expectations because indicator 3.8.1 asks for knowledge of the national and local policies on learner discipline. The revised IRR covers acts on personal devices away from school “if the act or acts in question create a hostile environment at the school for the victim”. It also requires notice, a written answer and a written decision before any penalty. The option that gets the coverage right but suspends at once knows the rule and skips the process.

Indicator 3.8.1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of existing national and local policies related to learner discipline.

Sources: Revised IRR of Republic Act No. 10627 (DepEd Memorandum No. 090, s. 2025), Sections 4, 9 and 21; DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, Annex D; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Question 2

Indicator 1.3.1, Policy implementation and review. Career Stage 1, Situational, Moderate.

You are the principal of a public secondary school with 1,400 learners. Your staff includes a head teacher who is not a department head, a registered guidance counselor and 42 teachers. One Grade 9 adviser with a full teaching load volunteers to be the Learner Formation Officer. Which arrangement best follows DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026?

• A. Designate the guidance counselor as Learner Formation Officer, since she already handles bullying cases, and let her decide the sanctions after each investigation.
• B. Designate the head teacher as Learner Formation Officer, have the officer submit findings and recommendations on each case, and decide the sanctions yourself.
• C. Designate the Grade 9 adviser who volunteered, through a designation order with her concurrence that is signed by the schools division superintendent.
• D. Designate the head teacher as Learner Formation Officer and authorize the officer to decide and impose the sanctions on bullying cases to speed up resolution.

Answer and explanation

Best answer: B. Points: A = 0, B = 3, C = 1, D = 2.

• A (0 points, Prestructural). DM 055, s. 2026 bars non-teaching personnel such as the counselor from the role and leaves sanctions to the school head.
• B (3 points, Relational). This follows the priority for head teachers and keeps the line between the officer’s findings and the school head’s decision.
• C (1 point, Unistructural). The designation order is right for a teacher, but a teacher may serve only when no head teacher is available, and then lighter-load non-advisers come first.
• D (2 points, Multistructural). The choice of officer is right, but DM 055, s. 2026 makes the school head “responsible for determining the appropriate sanctions and rendering a decision”.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 1 expectations because indicator 1.3.1 asks for knowledge of policy implementation so that school operations are consistent with issuances. DM 055, s. 2026 lets a teacher serve “only when no ASHDs or HTs are available” and has the officer give “findings and recommendations to the school head”. The option that names the right officer but hands over the decision gets the first rule and misses the second.

Indicator 1.3.1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of policy implementation and review to ensure that school operations are consistent with national and local laws, regulations and issuances.

Sources: DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026, Parts I and II; Revised IRR of Republic Act No. 10627, Section 11.1; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Question 3

Indicator 3.6.1, Learning environment. Career Stage 1, Situational, Moderate.

During a conference, a mother tells you, the school head, that her son’s Grade 4 adviser hit him on the head with a ruler and called him stupid in front of the class. She asks that the matter be settled quietly, with the adviser apologizing to her son at the barangay hall. What is the most appropriate action?

• A. Agree to the mother’s request and arrange the apology at the barangay hall, since a quiet settlement protects the child, the adviser and the school from publicity.
• B. Document the incident in an incident report and intake sheet, refer it to the Disciplining Authority within 48 hours, arrange support for the child, and keep the case confidential.
• C. Hear the adviser and the boy yourself that same day, then reprimand the adviser in writing and move the boy to another section to keep him away from her.
• D. Document the incident in an incident report and intake sheet, refer it within 48 hours, and explain the case at the next PTA meeting so that parents know it is being handled.

Answer and explanation

Best answer: B. Points: A = 0, B = 3, C = 1, D = 2.

• A (0 points, Prestructural). DO 40, s. 2012 says complaints under it “shall not be brought for amicable settlement before the Barangay”.
• B (3 points, Relational). This documents the incident, routes it to the proper authority within the time limit, attends to the child, and protects the identities of both the child and the teacher.
• C (1 point, Unistructural). Acting quickly shows concern, but a complaint against personnel goes to the Disciplining Authority, and moving the child burdens the victim.
• D (2 points, Multistructural). Documentation and referral are right, but DO 40, s. 2012 bars publicity on a pending case against a teacher.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 1 expectations because indicator 3.6.1 asks for an understanding of managing a learner-friendly and healthy learning environment. DO 40, s. 2012 treats “Striking of a child’s face or head” and “ridiculing or denigrating the child” as corporal punishment. It requires a complaint to be forwarded “within forty-eight (48) hours” to the Disciplining Authority, and DO 006, s. 2026 keeps “all parties involved” confidential. The option that refers the case but announces it at the PTA gets the procedure right and breaks confidentiality.

Indicator 3.6.1: Demonstrate understanding of managing a learner-friendly, inclusive and healthy learning environment.

Sources: DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, Sections 3, 16, 17, 18 and 22; DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, Sections VII and XII and Annex A; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Frequently asked questions

Is DO 40, s. 2012 still in effect?

Yes. DO 006, s. 2026 lists it among the issuances it governs and states that it “does not amend or repeal” them; it repeals by name only four old orders on hazing and cellphones, plus any provisions inconsistent with it.

Who are the members of the Child Protection Committee?

The school head (chair), the guidance counselor or a teacher (vice chair), and representatives of the teachers, parents, learners and community, named by the faculty club, PTA, student government and Punong Barangay.

What should a school head do when a bullying incident is reported?

Make the learner safe, have the incident documented, route it within 48 hours, inform the parents in writing, and follow the time limits to a written decision within 30 calendar days.

What is DO 006, s. 2026?

DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, dated March 24, 2026, is the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment, which brings DepEd’s learner rights and protection rules into one framework with a template anti-bullying policy, security protocols, timelines and process flows.

Can a school discipline a learner for cyberbullying done outside school?

Yes, when the act creates a hostile environment at school for the victim, infringes the victim’s rights at school, or disrupts the school, even on a personal device; due process applies before any penalty.

More on school leadership

This post is part of a series on what a school head does under the DepEd rules in force today. Related posts:

• Leadership Styles of School Heads: What the Evidence Says
• RA 9155 Duties of DepEd School Heads: 12 Areas Explained
• Principal, Head Teacher or Teacher-in-Charge in DepEd
• School Governance Council, PTA and Partners: A Guide
• Super El Niño 2026: A School Head’s Continuity Guide
• DepEd Revised SBM: DO 007, s. 2024 and the Self-Assessment
• DepEd School Improvement Plan (SIP): Steps, AIP and SRC
• Human Resource Management for DepEd School Heads
• DepEd School MOOE: Allowable Expenses and Liquidation
• RA 6713 for DepEd School Heads: Ethics and Internal Control
• DepEd Enhanced ALS, Inclusive Education and Special Programs
• DepEd School Counselors, Nurses, Librarians, SY 2023-2024
• On the app: The roles of a school head, the six roles in one guide, the PPSSH guide, and the guide for aspiring school heads

Sources

• Republic Act No. 10627, Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, Official Gazette.
• Republic Act No. 12080, Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, approved December 6, 2024, Official Gazette.
• Republic Act No. 9344, Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, Lawphil Project.
• Republic Act No. 10173, Data Privacy Act of 2012, Lawphil Project.
• Republic Act No. 11313, Safe Spaces Act, Lawphil Project.
• Republic Act No. 11648, on stronger protection against rape and sexual exploitation and abuse, Lawphil Project.
• Republic Act No. 11930, Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act, Lawphil Project.
• DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2006, Revised Rules of Procedure of the Department of Education in Administrative Cases.
• DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, DepEd Child Protection Policy, Sections 3, 7, 10, 12 and 16 to 22.
• DepEd Order No. 18, s. 2015, Guidelines and Procedures on the Management of Children-at-Risk (CAR) and Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL), Sections 8, 9 and 16.
• DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020, National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads.
• DepEd Order No. 003, s. 2021, Creation of the Child Protection Unit and the Child Rights in Education Desk.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 013, s. 2022, Dissemination of Republic Act No. 11648.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 068, s. 2022, Dissemination of Republic Act No. 11930.
• DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2024, Revised School-Based Management (SBM) System, Annex A, Learning Environment indicators.
• DepEd Order No. 012, s. 2025, Multi-Year Implementing Guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 069, s. 2025, Administration of the National Assessment for School Heads for Fiscal Year 2025.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 077, s. 2025, Dissemination of the IRR of Republic Act No. 12080, Rules III to VI.
• DepEd Order No. 026, s. 2025, Guidelines on the Payment of Overtime Services of Teachers.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 090, s. 2025, Dissemination of the Revised IRR of Republic Act No. 10627, Rules II to VIII.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 002, s. 2026, Implementing Guidelines of Kaagapay Program.
• DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment, Sections I to XIV and Annexes A to K.
• DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026, Guidelines on Learning Continuity in Emergencies.
• DepEd Order No. 019, s. 2026, Qualification Standards for Positions Created Under Republic Act No. 12080, with CSC Resolution No. 2600920.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026, Clarificatory Guidelines on the Designation of Learner Formation Officers in Schools.
• DepEd Memorandum No. 059, s. 2026, Guidelines on the Delivery of School Health Services for School Year 2026-2027, paras. 3 and 9.
• EDCOM II, Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform (2026-2035), Final Report, January 2026, Priority Area 10, printed pp. 198 and 199.
• NASH Reviewer data report: school counselors, nurses and librarians, SY 2023-2024.

Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: Republic Acts No. 10627, 12080, 9344, 10173, 11313, 11648 and 11930; DepEd Orders No. 49, s. 2006, No. 40, s. 2012, No. 18, s. 2015, No. 024, s. 2020, No. 003, s. 2021, No. 007, s. 2024, No. 012 and 026, s. 2025, and No. 006, 014 and 019, s. 2026; DepEd Memoranda No. 013 and 068, s. 2022, No. 069, 077 and 090, s. 2025, and No. 002, 055 and 059, s. 2026; EDCOM II Final Report (2026).