# Department Head, Assistant School Head and MT Duties

DO 024, s. 2025: a Department Head Designate teaches 3 hours; an Assistant School Head Designate (over 1,000 learners) is relieved of teaching; MTs, at most 6.

This is the Markdown copy of [Department Head, Assistant School Head and MT Duties](https://nash.com.ph/blog/department-head-assistant-school-head-designates), an article on the NASH Reviewer Blog by Mark Anthony Llego, published Oct 31, 2026, updated Nov 4, 2026. Topics: School leadership, Aspiring school heads. NASH Reviewer is an independent practice platform not affiliated with DepEd, BHROD, or NEAP.

[DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2025_024r.pdf) sets the terms of two designations below the school head and the duties of the Master Teacher (Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36). A Department Head Designate is assigned in Grades 4–6, junior high school and senior high school, serves as a Grade Level Head in Kindergarten to Grade 3, comes from the Master Teachers of the learning area, rotates every year and "shall have three (3) hours of teaching load". An Assistant School Head Designate is assigned in schools "with an enrolment of more than 1,000 learners", comes from Teacher VI, Teacher VII and Master Teacher I, and is relieved of teaching; the designate may be given a load only in the exigency of service once every teacher has two hours of overload. A Master Teacher's teaching load "shall be at most six (6) hours per day". Both designations need an order signed by the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).

[DepEd Order No. 034, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2025_034r.pdf) adds a transition rule: a retitled secondary Head Teacher who chooses to stay on as Department Head does so until he or she vacates the position (para. 27). The sections below cover who may be designated, the loads, the duties in DO 024's Appendices 3 and 4, how each role is rated, and where DepEd's documents disagree, as of October 31, 2026.

The loads are also covered in [How Many Hours Must DepEd Teachers Teach a Day?](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-teacher-six-hour-teaching-load) and [Teaching-Related Assignments: The 11 Roles DepEd Allows](https://nash.com.ph/blog/teaching-related-assignments-deped). "The FAQs" are DepEd's Frequently Asked Questions on DO 024 and DO 034, issued with Memorandum DM-OUHROD-2025-3003 "to serve as guidance" and updated November 6, 2025; they are in DepEd's [career progression toolkit folder](https://tinyurl.com/CareerProgToolKit).

## Key findings

- **A Department Head Designate teaches three hours.** "A Department Head Designate shall have three (3) hours of teaching load" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.c.iv), on a one-year rotation (Sec. 36.c.iii); DepEd's 2026 workload Q&A applies it over DO 005's six (No. 3).
- **Department Heads come from the Master Teachers of the learning area.** Lower ranks are allowed only "when there is no Master Teacher in the subject/learning area/track" (Sec. 36.c.i). In Kindergarten to Grade 3 the designate "shall serve as a Grade Level Head" (Sec. 36.c).
- **An Assistant School Head Designate needs a school of more than 1,000 learners** and comes from Teacher VI, Teacher VII and Master Teacher I (Sec. 36.d and 36.d.i), though the Joint Circular allows ranks below MT I only where there is "no qualified Master Teacher" (Sec. 9.2.3). The designate is "relieved of teaching load" and may teach only once every teacher has "the maximum teaching overload of two (2) hours" (Sec. 36.d.iv).
- **Three issuances set a Master Teacher's load.** DO 005 and the Joint Circular say six hours (DO 005, s. 2024, Sec. V.A.1, item 1.b.i; DepEd-DBM JC No. 01, s. 2025, Sec. 9.2.4); DO 024 says "at most six (6) hours per day" (Sec. 36.b.iii). A Master Teacher designated Department Head teaches three (Sec. 36.c.iv).
- **Retitled secondary Head Teachers can stay on as Department Head** "until they vacate the position"; only then is a Master Teacher designated (DO 034, s. 2025, para. 27).
- **Each designate is rated differently.** The Department Head uses "the prescribed" IPCRF, with targets under the KRA on Teaching and Learning Delivery; the Assistant School Head uses "the generic IPCRF" aligned with the School OPCRF (Sec. 36.c.vi and 36.d.vi).
- **One FAQ answer fills a gap the Orders leave open.** The FAQs say retitled Head Teachers acting as Department Heads "shall have no teaching loads" (DepEd ECP FAQs, updated November 6, 2025, Q27). Neither DO 024 nor DO 034 states their load, and DO 034 keeps the Sec. 36 (c) designation for after they leave (para. 27).

## Department Head and Assistant School Head are designations, not positions

The career progression positions are Teacher I–VII (SG 11–17), Master Teacher I–V (SG 18–22) and School Principal I–IV (SG 19–22) (DO 024, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 12). Department Head and Assistant School Head are not among them; they are functions performed "by virtue of designation" (Sec. 34.b.ii).

Among the career progression instruments, the IRR of Executive Order No. 174 names them, for incumbents of retitled positions: "Appropriate designation orders shall be issued to incumbents who opt to take on the functions of a School Head designate, Assistant School Principal designate, or Department Head designate" ([IRR of EO 174, s. 2022](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/IRR-of-EO-174-s.-2022.pdf), Sec. 27). DO 024 sets their terms; its Appendices 3 and 4 are the job descriptions.

The Civil Service Commission defines designation as a temporary "imposition of additional and/or greater responsibility" that "can be terminated anytime at the pleasure of the appointing officer or authority" (2025 Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Human Resource Actions, or ORAOHRA, Sec. 13(c)). Three things follow:

- **No new salary grade.** "Designees cannot be granted the salaries of the positions they are being designated to" (ORAOHRA, Sec. 13(c), rule 7). The same rule allows allowances such as RATA only where the GAA provides them and the designation order states them; DO 024 provides none for these designations.
- **The signed order matters.** DO 024 requires an Official Designation Order signed by the SDS for each (Sec. 36.c.ii and 36.d.ii), and the CSC rules say "Designations shall be made through an Office Order" (Sec. 13(c), rule 6). Experience from a valid designation "may be considered for meeting the experience requirement" (Sec. 61), but "Any experience gained from an invalid designation shall not be credited as relevant experience for purposes of appointment" (Sec. 13(c), rule 11).
- **One designation, several names.** The IRR says "Assistant School Principal designate"; DO 024 says "Assistant School Head Designate" in Secs. 34–36 but "a designated ASP" in Sec. 36.d.iv; the Appendix 4 form reads "Designation Title: Assistant School Head Designate". It is not the plantilla position of Assistant School Principal I–III, which DO 024 retitles (Sec. 34).

The Master Teacher is different: a position with its own salary grades, whose duties attach to the position.

![Chart of who may be designated, by rank and salary grade. Department Head Designate: Master Teacher I to V (SG 18 to 22) of the subject, learning area or track form the first pool; Teacher I to VII (SG 11 to 17) only if the area or track has no Master Teacher. Assistant School Head Designate: Teacher VI (SG 16), Teacher VII (SG 17) and Master Teacher I (SG 18) form the first pool; Teacher I to V only if the school has none of those three; Master Teacher II to V only if the IDP shows plans to switch career tracks.](https://nash.com.ph/blog/_astro/designates-eligibility-by-rank.DHl3j2rh_GxGEY.webp)

*Figure 1. Who may be designated Department Head or Assistant School Head under DO 024, by rank and salary grade; the Joint Circular limits ranks below Master Teacher I (see the Assistant School Head section). Data: DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 12 (PDF p. 5) and Sec. 36.c.i and 36.d.i (PDF pp. 24–25). Chart: © 2026 Mark Anthony Llego, NASH Reviewer. [Download the full-resolution chart (PNG)](https://nash.com.ph/blog/charts/career-progression/designates-eligibility-by-rank.png) or [its data (CSV)](https://nash.com.ph/blog/charts/career-progression/designates-eligibility-by-rank.csv).*

The Supreme Court has held that officer-in-charge and acting designations give no security of tenure (*Tapispisan v. Court of Appeals*, 2005; *Arquero v. Court of Appeals*, 2011); see [Can a Principal Be Reassigned to Another School?](https://nash.com.ph/blog/principal-reassignment-transfer-oic-tenure).

### The two designations side by side

| | Department Head Designate | Assistant School Head Designate |
|---|---|---|
| Where assigned | "Grades 4-6, JHS, and SHS"; a Grade Level Head in Kindergarten to Grade 3 (Sec. 36.c) | Schools "with an enrolment of more than 1,000 learners" (Sec. 36.d) |
| Unit | Per subject or learning area; in SHS "per Learning Area/Cluster" (Appendix 3) | "Office of the School Head" (Appendix 4) |
| Drawn from | Master Teachers of the subject, learning area or track; lower ranks only if there is none there (Sec. 36.c.i) | Teacher VI, Teacher VII and Master Teacher I; lower ranks only if none is in the school; above MT I only with an IDP plan to switch career tracks (Sec. 36.d.i); the JC limits ranks below MT I (Sec. 9.2.3) |
| Order | Signed by the SDS (Sec. 36.c.ii) | Signed by the SDS (Sec. 36.d.ii) |
| Term | One-year rotation (Sec. 36.c.iii) | None stated |
| Teaching load | Three hours (Sec. 36.c.iv; Appendix 3) | Relieved; a load only "in the exigency of service" once every teacher has the two-hour maximum overload (Sec. 36.d.iv; Appendix 4) |
| Focus | "Teaching and Learning Delivery" (Sec. 36.d.iii) | "School Operations and Learner Support" (Sec. 36.d.iii) |
| Reports to | School Principal (Appendix 3) | School Principal (Appendix 4) |
| Supervises | "Master Teachers, Teachers" (Appendix 3) | Learner support and non-teaching personnel (Appendix 4) |
| Own rating | "the prescribed" IPCRF, KRA on Teaching and Learning Delivery (Sec. 36.c.vi) | "the generic IPCRF", aligned with the School OPCRF (Sec. 36.d.vi) |

## Department Head Designate in DepEd: who, where, load and duties

### Where and who

"A Department Head Designate shall be assigned in Grades 4-6, JHS, and SHS. In Kindergarten to Grade 3, Department Head Designate shall serve as a Grade Level Head" (DO 024, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.c). Appendix 3 sets the unit "per subject/learning area", or "per Learning Area/Cluster" in senior high school; it does not list the Grade Level Head, and DO 024 sets no limit on the number of Department Heads. Nor does it relate the Grade Level Head to the grade-level chair, a teaching-related assignment under [DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2024/04/29/april-29-2024-do-005-s-2024-rationalization-of-teachers-workload-in-public-schools-and-payment-of-teaching-overload/) (Sec. V.A.4, item 1.c) with [no teaching load](https://nash.com.ph/blog/teaching-related-assignments-deped).

The designate "shall come from the ranks of Master Teachers in the particular subject/learning area/track", and lower ranks only "when there is no Master Teacher in the subject/learning area/track" (Sec. 36.c.i). The Joint Circular prefers Master Teachers and allows lower ranks only when "there is no qualified Master Teacher" ([DepEd-DBM JC No. 01, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DepEd-DBM-JC-No.-01-s.-2025.pdf), Sec. 9.2.3). The two point the same way.

The SDS signs the order (Sec. 36.c.ii), and "The designation as Department Head shall be on rotation, each for a period of one (1) year" (Sec. 36.c.iii). DO 024 does not say how the next designate is chosen or what happens in a learning area with one Master Teacher; a school that cannot rotate should record why.

### Teaching load: three hours

"A Department Head Designate shall have three (3) hours of teaching load" (Sec. 36.c.iv; Appendix 3). DO 024 does not add "per day" here, as it does for Master Teachers (Sec. 36.b.iii), but DepEd's 2026 workload Q&A sets the three hours against DO 005's daily six, which implies a daily load. Schools "shall adopt the prescribed 3-hour teaching load in recognition of their additional supervisory functions" where Master Teachers are officially designated Department Heads (DepEd consolidated Q&A, 2026 implementation-status meetings, No. 3). DO 024, the later Order, governs over DO 005's six hours.

![Stacked bar chart of the eight-hour working day by role. Teacher: 6 hours of teaching and 2 hours of ancillary tasks. Master Teacher: teaching at most 6 hours and 2 hours of ancillary tasks including coaching. Department Head Designate: 3 hours of teaching and 5 hours, computed, that DO 024 does not allocate. Assistant School Head Designate and Teacher-in-Charge: relieved of teaching for the whole 8-hour day; each may teach only if every teacher has the 2-hour maximum overload.](https://nash.com.ph/blog/_astro/designates-load-by-role.BnveO7r7_1ukJUv.webp)

*Figure 2. Teaching load by role in the eight-hour working day. Teaching hours are as printed; the rest of each day is computed as 8 minus the teaching hours. Data: DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.b.iii, 36.c.iv and 36.d.iv (PDF pp. 24–25); DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024, Sec. V.A, item 1 and Sec. V.A.1, items 1.a.i, 1.b.i, 1.b.iii and 5 and Sec. V.A.2, items 1–2 (PDF pp. 6–7). Chart: © 2026 Mark Anthony Llego, NASH Reviewer. [Download the full-resolution chart (PNG)](https://nash.com.ph/blog/charts/career-progression/designates-load-by-role.png) or [its data (CSV)](https://nash.com.ph/blog/charts/career-progression/designates-load-by-role.csv).*

DO 024 does not allocate the other five hours of the eight-hour day. No document addresses overload for a Department Head specifically. DO 005 counts as overload only teaching beyond six hours in a day (Sec. V.A.2, item 1), and DepEd's 2026 Q&A applies that six-hour test to "All Teachin [sic] positions" (No. 7).

### What a Department Head does

Appendix 3 has the Department Head report to the School Principal and supervise "Master Teachers, Teachers". Its six duties: oversee "the alignment, contextualization, and implementation of the curriculum"; provide "technical support and supervision to Master Teachers on teaching standards and pedagogical practices"; ensure the use of "learner profiles and performance data" in "evidence-based interventions"; ensure suitable learning resources, strategies and assessment tools; assist the School Principal with "department-based professional development initiatives"; and "Lead the planning, implementation, and evaluation of Programs, Projects, and Activities (PPAs) within the department/learning area." These are, in effect, the school head's instructional tasks at department scale, close to [PPSSH Domain 3](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-3-teaching-and-learning); see also [the guide to distributed leadership](https://nash.com.ph/blog/distributed-leadership-deped-schools).

### Retitled Head Teachers who stay on as Department Head

Head Teachers who already serve as department heads can keep the role. Those retitled may "Perform their existing functions" in the same school "by virtue of designation", with an SDS-signed order (DO 024, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 34.b.ii(b) and 34.c.ii(b)); the retitling form records that choice (Annex T, Part II). ASP II–III and HT VI incumbents who qualify for neither School Principal nor Master Teacher, and those declared excess, "continue to perform as Assistant School Head or Department Head in the same school" (Sec. 34.b.iii). The options are covered in [Head Teacher Retitling: Options Under ECP and RA 12288](https://nash.com.ph/blog/head-teacher-retitling-ecp-ra-12288).

DO 034 settles the rotation in those departments. Secondary Head Teachers retitled to Teacher or Master Teacher positions "who opt to continue performing their existing function as Department Head shall do so until they vacate the position upon promotion, transfer, resignation, retirement, or separation from service. Only then shall a Master Teacher be designated as Department Head pursuant to Section 36 (c)" (para. 27). So the one-year rotation starts only when that Head Teacher leaves, even where the department has Master Teachers (also DepEd ECP FAQs, updated November 6, 2025, Q30).

**Their teaching load.** The FAQs answer that "Head Teachers retitled to equivalent teaching positions but opted to retain their function as Department Head Designates shall have no teaching loads" (DepEd ECP FAQs, updated November 6, 2025, Q27). They also say retitled Head Teachers are "Not necessarily" required to teach (DepEd ECP FAQs, updated November 6, 2025, Q25), and DepEd's orientation deck calls teaching "one of their options but not mandatory" (DepEd national orientation deck on DO 024, s. 2025, undated, p. 50). Neither DO 024 nor DO 034 states their load. DO 024 gives "A Department Head Designate" three hours with no stated exception (Sec. 36.c.iv), but DO 034 has these Head Teachers continue their "existing function as Department Head" and keeps the Sec. 36 (c) designation for after they leave (para. 27), so the Orders do not settle whether Sec. 36.c.iv reaches them. Where an Order and the FAQ conflict, the Order governs; here the Orders are silent and the FAQ is DepEd's only direct answer, so a school should get the SDO's written instruction before programming either load. Head Teachers who kept their title are a separate case: DepEd's 2024 workload Q&A says they "shall retain their workload based on other exisiting guidelines" [sic] (DepEd consolidated Q&A, DM 53 orientation, No. 2).

**RA 12288.** [Republic Act No. 12288](https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2025/09sep/20250912-RA-12288-FRM.pdf), approved September 12, 2025, says "All incumbent head teachers may apply to retain their positions and Career Progression Line under the Current Career Progression" (Sec. 6). Its IRR was signed on August 17, 2026; a DepEd-certified copy is in DepEd's [career progression toolkit folder](https://tinyurl.com/CareerProgToolKit). As of October 31, 2026, the IRR had not been published in the Official Gazette or on deped.gov.ph, so its effective date is not yet known. No DepEd order implements the Act, so DO 024 and DO 034 still govern these designations. See [What RA 12288 Changes in Teacher Career Progression](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ra-12288-career-progression-changes).

## Assistant School Head Designate: the 1,000-learner rule, load and duties

### Where: schools of more than 1,000 learners

"An Assistant School Head Designate shall be assigned in schools with an enrolment of more than 1,000 learners" (DO 024, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.d). A school of exactly 1,000 does not qualify, and DO 024 names no enrollment count or date, so keep the record you relied on.

DO 024 applies the 1,000-learner test to every Assistant School Head Designate, including those designated under the Transitory Provisions (Secs. 35.b, 36.d and 36.d.iii), as the FAQs do: excess incumbents "can be assigned as Assistant School Head Designate to schools with more than 1,000 learners" (DepEd ECP FAQs, updated November 6, 2025, Q26; also Q29). It names the test again for on-stream candidates displaced by a full-fledged principal (Sec. 34.c.iii). It does not say whether an ASP II–III or HT VI who keeps the position title and continues as Assistant School Head "in the same school" (Sec. 34.b.iii) must move if the school has 1,000 learners or fewer.

### Who may be designated

"As part of the professional development of prospective or aspiring principals, Assistant School Head Designates shall come from the ranks of Teacher VI, Teacher VII, and Master Teacher I" (Sec. 36.d.i). Lower ranks are allowed only "when there is no Teacher VI, Teacher VII, and Master Teacher I in the school", and Master Teachers above MT I only "when the incumbent signifies future plans to switch career tracks based on his/her Individual Development Plan (IDP)". The pool fits the career lines: "Upon reaching the Master Teacher I position, a teacher may choose to pursue the CT Career Line or the SA Career Line" (Sec. 23), and switching later "shall be allowed once" (Sec. 24). See [School Principal I to IV: Promotion Under the ECP](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-principal-reclassification-ecp).

**A difference from the Joint Circular.** The JC says "School Head designates and Assistant School Head designates shall preferably come from the ranks of Master Teachers" (Sec. 9.2.3). Its preference for Master Teachers is soft ("preferably"), but its limit is not: Teachers below MT I "shall only be allowed in the event when there is no qualified Master Teacher, subject to applicable guidelines to be issued by DepEd". DO 024 departs from it twice. It puts Teacher VI and VII in the first pool, and it bars Master Teachers above MT I without an IDP that shows plans to switch tracks. The JC, as the joint DBM-DepEd instrument, governs where they conflict; a DepEd Order alone does not amend it. DO 024 can be read as the "applicable guidelines" that define who is a "qualified" Master Teacher for this designation. No later issuance reconciles them. Recommending a Master Teacher I meets both; a Teacher VI or VII meets both only where the school has no Master Teacher who qualifies under DO 024.

### Teaching load: relieved, with one exception

"Pursuant to DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024, a designated ASP shall be relieved of teaching load to allow full discharge of school leadership and management duties. An ASP may be assigned a teaching load on the condition that all teachers in the school have been assigned the maximum teaching overload of two (2) hours" (Sec. 36.d.iv). Appendix 4 adds "in the exigency of service".

DO 005's own text sets this rule for Teachers-in-Charge, who "shall be relieved of teaching and other related duties and perform fully the function of a school head" (Sec. V.A.1, item 5); DO 024 extends it to the Assistant School Head. DO 005 adds that a TIC's load "shall form part of their regular work hours"; DO 024 does not repeat that, and no document says how an Assistant School Head's load is paid.

### What an Assistant School Head does

DO 024 divides the work: with Department Heads "focusing on Teaching and Learning Delivery", Assistant School Heads, "including those who opted to retain their current position and/or function and those who may be designated in line with the implementation of the Transitory Provisions, shall focus on School Operations and Learner Support" (Sec. 36.d.iii). Appendix 4 places the designate in the "Office of the School Head", supervising "School personnel handling learner support program and other non-teaching personnel". The duties: support "the administrative and functional supervision over the daily operations of the school", including learner support services; "Facilitate and monitor the professional development of the non-teaching personnel"; work with the School Head on "the continuous improvement of the school’s systems, processes, operations, and delivery of learner support services"; act "as a liaison between the school and its external partners, stakeholders and the LGU"; and report "to the Principal/School Head". The duties track [PPSSH Domain 2](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-2-managing-school-operations) and, for the liaison work, [Domain 5](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-5-building-connections).

A later memorandum adds a learner-support task. Under [DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/09/17/september-17-2026-dm-055-s-2026-clarificatory-guidelines-on-the-designation-of-learner-formation-officers-in-schools-pursuant-to-the-revised-implementing-rules-and-regulations-of-republic/) (September 17, 2026), "priority shall be given to ASHDs and HTs" in designating the Learner Formation Officer, who renders "desk duty for at least two hours a day"; a teacher may be designated "only when no ASHDs or HTs are available" (Encl., Secs. I.a.v and II.b). Every school had to designate one by October 9, 2026 (Sec. II.i). See the [child protection and anti-bullying guide](https://nash.com.ph/blog/child-protection-anti-bullying-school-heads).

## Master Teacher duties and teaching load

### What a Master Teacher does

"In view of the adoption of the PPST, the expectation and roles of Master Teachers in schools have evolved to include instructional supervision, technical assistance, coaching and mentoring, and collaboration with teacher colleagues" (DO 024, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.b). The section then sets these rules:

| Rule | What DO 024 says | Sec. |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Proficiency "equivalent to Career Stage III (Highly Proficient) and Career Stage IV (Distinguished) under the PPST" | 36.b.i |
| Instructional leadership | "subject matter experts" who "perform instructional supervision, coaching and mentoring, and technical assistance functions to teachers"; they also lead the preparation of instructional materials and serve as "teacher consultants in other schools in the schools division" | 36.b.i |
| Rating others | "raters of teacher performance under the Performance Management and Evaluation System (PMES)-PPST" | 36.b.ii |
| Load | "at most six (6) hours per day" as the teaching load, with a program that leaves time "to conduct coaching and mentoring as part of their teacher ancillary tasks" | 36.b.iii |
| Supervision | "administratively under the School Head, who shall be the Rater of all Master Teachers, notwithstanding their rank or salary level" | 36.b.iv |

Appendix 2's job description lists duties under eight key result areas, from Content Knowledge and Pedagogy to Secondary Duties, and the Joint Circular states the same functions (Secs. 9.2.1–9.2.2). DO 005 adds that the "Learning Action Cell (LAC) coordinator/In-Service Training (INSET) Coordinator shall be included in their functions, among others" (Sec. V.A.3, item 3). Master Teacher items follow DO 024's ratios, for example one for every five teachers in an elementary school (Sec. 29.a); the ratios and performance requirements are in [How to Become a Master Teacher Under DepEd's ECP](https://nash.com.ph/blog/master-teacher-reclassification-ecp).

### A Master Teacher's teaching load: three texts

| Text | Date | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DO 005, s. 2024 | April 29, 2024 | "Master Teachers shall likewise render six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching and the two (2) hours shall be allotted to teacher ancillary tasks" | Sec. V.A.1, item 1.b.i |
| DepEd-DBM JC No. 01, s. 2025 | February 19, 2025 | "Master Teachers shall have regular teaching loads, subject to the DepEd guidelines on teacher workload. They shall render six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching and two (2) hours of teacher ancillary services" | Sec. 9.2.4 |
| DO 024, s. 2025 | August 28, 2025 | "The teaching load of Master Teachers shall be at most six (6) hours per day" | Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.b.iii |
| DO 024, s. 2025 (Department Head) | August 28, 2025 | "A Department Head Designate shall have three (3) hours of teaching load" | Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.c.iv |

**Which governs.** Six hours satisfies all three texts. The JC ranks above a DepEd Order but makes the load "subject to the DepEd guidelines on teacher workload"; whether six is also a minimum is covered in [the six-hour load guide](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-teacher-six-hour-teaching-load). The real difference is the Department Head's three hours, which no later JC reconciles with the JC's six; DepEd applies DO 024 (2026 Q&A, No. 3). The six-hour limit is on the regular load, not on overload: teaching beyond six hours in a day is overload, up to two hours a day (DO 005, Sec. V.A.2, items 1–2), and DepEd says "All Teachin [sic] positions are eligible for teaching oveload [sic] pay, provided that their teaching load exceeds the prescribed at most six (6) Hours" (2026 Q&A, No. 7). Master Teachers' overload rates are in [DepEd Teaching Overload Pay: Who Qualifies, How Much](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-teaching-overload-pay-computation).

**Coaching is an ancillary task, not a load reduction.** DO 005 treats coaching, mentoring and technical assistance as "an ancillary task", compensated "with VSC if performed beyond the 8-hour workday" (Sec. V.A.1, item 1.b.iii). Asked about four hours of teaching plus two of coaching, DepEd said no: "Their maximum number of teaching load is 6 hours. The Coaching and Mentoring Duties of Master Teachers form part of their ancillary tasks" (DepEd consolidated Q&A, DM 53 orientation, No. 5). DO 024 put the burden on the program, which school heads "shall design" so that Master Teachers "have time to conduct coaching and mentoring" (Sec. 36.b.iii).

## School head designates in schools with no principal item

"One (1) School Principal item, regardless of position title or level, shall be authorized for every unique school (i.e., school with School ID)" (DO 024, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 28). A school without a principal item is run by a designated teacher, in one of two ways:

- **Teacher-in-Charge.** DO 005 counts a TIC as a school head, designated by "a duly signed designation order from the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS)" (Sec. V.A.1, item 5). The TIC is relieved of teaching on the same two-hour condition (Figure 2).
- **School Head designate under DO 024.** Retained or retitled Head Teachers and Assistant School Principals may serve, "upon their concurrence, as School Head designate in any Elementary or Secondary school within the SDO with no School Principal item", with an SDS-signed order (Sec. 34.c.i; also Secs. 34.b.ii(c) and 34.c.ii(c)). The JC prefers Master Teachers for this designation too (Sec. 9.2.3).

On-stream candidates "who are currently managing schools" keep their School Head designation "in the same school within the three (3) year transition period"; if they are not reclassified to School Principal I and a full-fledged principal is appointed, they become Assistant School Head Designates (Sec. 34.c.iii). The transition runs from February 25, 2025 to February 24, 2028 (Sec. 31). TIC reclassification is covered in [School Principal I to IV: Promotion Under the ECP](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-principal-reclassification-ecp), and who counts as a school head in [Principal, Head Teacher or Teacher-in-Charge in DepEd](https://nash.com.ph/blog/principal-head-teacher-teacher-in-charge).

## How Department Heads, Assistant School Heads and Master Teachers are rated

| Role | Own form and targets | Rater of the role | Rates whom (DM 089, Table 18) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Teacher | IPCRF under the PMES; Leadership Competencies for "Teachers with supervisory functions, such as Master Teachers and Department Heads" (DM 089, para. 23) | School Head; the ASDS approves (DO 024, Sec. 36.b.iv; Table 18) | Elementary, junior high, senior high and school-based ALS teachers |
| Department Head Designate | "the prescribed" IPCRF: PPST performance plus department head targets "under the Key Result Area (KRA) on Teaching and Learning Delivery" (DO 024, Sec. 36.c.vi) | School Head, if the designate is a Master Teacher (Sec. 36.b.iv) | Junior high and school-based ALS teachers |
| Assistant School Head Designate | "the generic IPCRF", with targets "aligned with the School OPCRF" (Sec. 36.d.vi) | Not stated; reports to the School Principal (Appendix 4) | Junior and senior high school teachers |

[DepEd Memorandum No. 089, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/10/01/october-1-2025-dm-089-s-2025-guidelines-on-the-multi-year-performance-management-and-evaluation-system-for-teachers-from-school-years-2025-2026-to-2027-2028/), the multi-year PMES for SY 2025–2026 to 2027–2028, says "The ratee-rater-approving authority matrix (Table 18) shall be followed" (para. 91). Where a school has none of these raters, the school head rates and the ASDS approves (Table 18). See [the PMES guide](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-pmes-teachers) and [the OPCRF guide](https://nash.com.ph/blog/opcrf-school-heads-deped).

### Designation and reclassification

Teachers "with designation as Teacher-in-Charge (TIC) or Assistant School Head Designate, who are not using the existing PPST-based IPCRF of teachers, shall be evaluated using comparable performance requirements" (DO 024, Encl. No. 2, Sec. 14.b). That means at least Very Satisfactory in the latest full-year rating period for Teacher II, the last two for Teacher III, and the last three for Teacher IV–VII and Master Teacher I–V. DO 034 adds that a TIC or Assistant School Head Designate applying for a higher teaching position "shall be required to undergo assessment in both COI and NCOI": a classroom observation with the COT-RSP, and a portfolio annotation and Behavioral Events Interview for the NCOIs (para. 20). A Department Head Designate stays on the PPST-based IPCRF (Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.c.vi), so the regular indicator requirements apply; see [How to Be Reclassified to Teacher IV to VII in DepEd](https://nash.com.ph/blog/teacher-iv-to-vii-reclassification).

For aspiring principals the experience question matters. The School Principal I standard asks for "5 years teaching experience and 1 year relevant experience in any of the following: learning area coordination, subject area supervision, school management and operations, instructional supervision" ([DO 019, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2025_019r.pdf), CSC Resolution No. 2500471, p. 9 of 47). The CSC rules allow designation experience to count: "Relevant or specialized experience acquired through a designation, covered by an Office or Memorandum Order, compliant with Section 13 (c) hereof, may be considered for meeting the experience requirement" (2025 ORAOHRA, Sec. 61), and DO 024 applies the ORAOHRA's Rule VIII in crediting experience (Encl. No. 2, Sec. 35.f; Encl. No. 3, Sec. 33.f). It is "may", not "shall": whether a year as Department Head Designate counts as "subject area supervision", or as Assistant School Head Designate as "school management and operations", is for the HRMO and HRMPSB to judge; no issuance pairs the designations with those areas. See [ECP Qualification Standards Under DO 019, s. 2025](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ecp-qualification-standards-do-019-2025).

## What this means for school heads

The SDS signs the orders, but the school head knows the candidates, the enrollment and the programs, and should prepare the recommendation:

1. **Map the school.** Note which learning areas have Master Teachers, whether enrollment is above 1,000, and which secondary Head Teachers chose to continue as Department Head under DO 034, para. 27.
2. **Recommend from the right pool and write down why.** If you use a fallback, record that the area or school has no one in the first pool. For Assistant School Head, a Master Teacher I meets both DO 024 and the JC; a Teacher VI or VII meets both only where no Master Teacher in the school qualifies under DO 024. For a Master Teacher II or above, attach the IDP page that states plans to switch career tracks (Sec. 36.c.i and 36.d.i; JC Sec. 9.2.3).
3. **No signed order, no designate.** Wait for the SDS-signed order before the designate takes on the duties, and keep a copy (Sec. 36.c.ii and 36.d.ii; ORAOHRA, Sec. 13(c), rules 6 and 11).
4. **Program the loads.** Department Heads teach three hours and Master Teachers at most six as their regular load, with time for coaching; the Assistant School Head is relieved and may teach only in the exigency of service once every teacher has two hours of overload (Sec. 36.b.iii, 36.c.iv and 36.d.iv). Give freed classes to teachers below six hours first (DO 005, Sec. V.A.2, item 4); see [How School Heads Plan Teaching Loads Under DO 5](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-head-teacher-loading-workload-toolkit).
5. **Keep a rotation calendar** of each Department Head's start date (Sec. 36.c.iii). Where a retitled Head Teacher leads under para. 27, the rotation starts when he or she leaves.
6. **Set targets in the right form.** Department Head targets go under the KRA on Teaching and Learning Delivery; the Assistant School Head's generic IPCRF aligns with your OPCRF (Sec. 36.c.vi and 36.d.vi).

The records to keep: the designation orders; the enrollment record behind the 1,000-learner test; the IDPs behind any Master Teacher II–V designated Assistant School Head; each retitled Head Teacher's Annex T choice; the class programs; and the IPCRFs with the designate targets.

| May | May not |
|---|---|
| Designate a teacher below Master Teacher I as Department Head where the learning area has no Master Teacher (Sec. 36.c.i) | Give a Master Teacher a regular load above six hours a day (Sec. 36.b.iii); any hour beyond six is teaching overload, allowed only under DO 005's conditions and its two-hour cap (Sec. V.A.2) |
| Give an Assistant School Head a teaching load in the exigency of service, once every teacher has two hours of overload (Sec. 36.d.iv; Appendix 4) | Replace a retitled secondary Head Teacher who chose to stay on as Department Head before he or she vacates the position (DO 034, para. 27) |
| Designate the Assistant School Head Designate as Learner Formation Officer; DM 055, s. 2026 gives ASHDs priority over teachers (Encl., Sec. II.b) | Designate a Master Teacher II–V as Assistant School Head without an IDP that signifies plans to switch career tracks (Sec. 36.d.i) |
| Have the Assistant School Head supervise learner support and non-teaching personnel (Appendix 4) | Treat a Master Teacher's coaching as a load reduction; it is an ancillary task (DO 005, Sec. V.A.1, item 1.b.iii; 2024 Q&A, No. 5) |

For the wider staffing duties, see [human resource management for school heads](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-head-human-resource-management) and [PPSSH Domain 4, developing self and others](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-4-developing-self-and-others).

## How the NASH may test this

The two items below are original practice items in the format of our [NASH practice questions](https://nash.com.ph/blog/nash-practice-questions-with-answers), scored 3 (Relational), 2 (Multistructural), 1 (Unistructural) or 0 (Prestructural). An option that breaks a rule scores 0.

### Question 1

*Indicator 2.4.2, Management of staff. Career Stage 2, Situational, Moderate.*

You are the principal of a secondary school whose enrollment reached 1,180 learners this school year. The SDS asks you to recommend an Assistant School Head Designate. The candidates are Mr. Reyes, Teacher VII; Ms. Santos, Master Teacher III, whose Individual Development Plan states that she will stay in classroom teaching; and Mr. Diaz, Teacher V. Every teacher carries six hours of classes except three teachers of Mr. Reyes's subject, who carry four hours each, and no one has overload. What is the most appropriate action?

- **A.** Recommend Mr. Reyes to the SDS for an Official Designation Order and, once it is signed, move his classes to the three teachers who carry fewer than six hours so that he is relieved of teaching.
- **B.** Recommend Mr. Reyes to the SDS for an Official Designation Order and plan to relieve him of teaching, leaving the question of who takes his classes for later.
- **C.** Send the names of all three teachers to the SDS and let the division choose, since the SDS signs the designation order.
- **D.** Recommend Ms. Santos, the highest-ranked of the three, and reduce her teaching load to three hours, as for a Department Head Designate.

**Answer and explanation**

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

- **A (3 points, Relational).** It picks a qualified teacher, waits for the SDS order, and relieves him of teaching through teachers below six hours, as DO 005 requires before any overload.
- **B (2 points, Multistructural).** The choice and the order are right, but his classes are left unassigned, so the relief is not yet arranged.
- **C (1 point, Unistructural).** It knows who signs the order but hands over the school head's judgment, with two candidates who do not qualify.
- **D (0 points, Prestructural).** A Master Teacher above MT I needs an IDP that signifies plans to switch career tracks, and an Assistant School Head is relieved of teaching, not given three hours.

**Why.** Assistant School Head Designates come from "the ranks of Teacher VI, Teacher VII, and Master Teacher I"; a higher Master Teacher qualifies only when the incumbent "signifies future plans to switch career tracks" in the IDP (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.d.i). The order is "duly signed by the SDS" (Sec. 36.d.ii), and "a designated ASP shall be relieved of teaching load" unless all teachers carry the two-hour maximum overload (Sec. 36.d.iv). All teachers render the prescribed hours before anyone gets overload (DO 005, s. 2024, Sec. V.A.2, item 4). The JC prefers Master Teachers, but Ms. Santos does not qualify under DO 024's guideline, so Mr. Reyes meets both (DepEd-DBM JC No. 01, s. 2025, Sec. 9.2.3).

*Indicator 2.4.2: Manage staffing such as teaching load distribution and grade level and subject area assignment in adherence to laws, policies, guidelines and issuances based on the needs of the school.*

*Sources: DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.d; DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024, Sec. V.A.2, item 4; DepEd-DBM Joint Circular No. 01, s. 2025, Sec. 9.2.3.*

### Question 2

*Indicator 4.4.1, Performance management. Career Stage 1, Conceptual, Moderate.*

Ms. Bautista, a Master Teacher I in Mathematics, is designated Department Head of a junior high school's Mathematics department for the school year. Which statement best describes how performance management works for her this year?

- **A.** She uses the prescribed IPCRF, which reflects her performance as a teacher on the PPST and, under the KRA on Teaching and Learning Delivery, her targets as Department Head. The school head rates her, and she may rate the Mathematics teachers, whose ratings the school head approves.
- **B.** She uses the prescribed IPCRF, with her targets and accomplishments as Department Head under the KRA on Teaching and Learning Delivery, and the school head rates her.
- **C.** Her work as Department Head is reflected in her IPCRF for the year.
- **D.** She uses the generic IPCRF aligned with the School OPCRF, as designates with leadership functions do, and the Assistant Schools Division Superintendent rates her.

**Answer and explanation**

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

- **A (3 points, Relational).** It connects the form, the KRA, who rates her and her own role as a rater into one account of the cycle.
- **B (2 points, Multistructural).** The form, the KRA and the rater are right, but it leaves out her role in rating the department's teachers.
- **C (1 point, Unistructural).** It is true but names neither the form, the KRA nor the raters.
- **D (0 points, Prestructural).** The generic IPCRF aligned with the School OPCRF is the Assistant School Head Designate's form, and the ASDS approves, not rates, a Master Teacher's rating.

**Why.** Department Head Designates "shall use the prescribed Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form (IPCRF)", with targets "under the Key Result Area (KRA) on Teaching and Learning Delivery" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.c.vi), and the School Head "shall be the Rater of all Master Teachers" (Sec. 36.b.iv). Under DM 089, s. 2025, junior high school teachers are rated by a "Master Teacher/ Department Head / Assistant School Head" with the School Head approving, and the ASDS approves a Master Teacher's rating (Table 18).

*Indicator 4.4.1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the implementation of the performance management system in improving school personnel and office performance.*

*Sources: DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.b.iv, 36.c.vi and 36.d.vi; DepEd Memorandum No. 089, s. 2025, Table 18.*

Nothing in this guide reproduces or predicts examination content.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many hours does a Department Head teach in DepEd?

Three. "A Department Head Designate shall have three (3) hours of teaching load" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.c.iv), which DepEd applies to Master Teachers designated Department Heads (2026 Q&A, No. 3). For retitled Head Teachers who stay on as Department Head, the FAQs say no teaching load (DepEd ECP FAQs, updated November 6, 2025, Q27); the Orders do not state their load (DO 034, para. 27), so get the SDO's written instruction.

### Who can be an Assistant School Head Designate?

A Teacher VI, Teacher VII or Master Teacher I in a school of more than 1,000 learners, named by an SDS-signed order (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.d–36.d.ii). Lower ranks qualify only if the school has none of those three, and a Master Teacher above MT I only with an IDP that shows plans to switch career tracks (Sec. 36.d.i). The Joint Circular allows ranks below Master Teacher I only where there is "no qualified Master Teacher" (Sec. 9.2.3), so a Master Teacher I meets both texts.

### How many hours of teaching does a Master Teacher have?

At most six hours a day as the regular load, with time for coaching and mentoring (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.b.iii); the Joint Circular says six hours of teaching and two of ancillary services (Sec. 9.2.4). A Master Teacher designated Department Head teaches three (Sec. 36.c.iv). Teaching beyond six hours in a day is overload, at most two hours a day (DO 005, s. 2024, Sec. V.A.2, items 1–2); see [the overload pay guide](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-teaching-overload-pay-computation).

### Do Department Heads and Assistant School Heads get extra pay?

DO 024 provides no pay, allowance or salary grade for either designation. The CSC defines designation as a temporary "imposition of additional and/or greater responsibility", and designees "cannot be granted the salaries of the positions they are being designated to" (2025 ORAOHRA, Sec. 13(c), rule 7). The same rule allows allowances such as RATA only where the GAA provides them and the designation order states them; DO 024 provides none for these designations.

### Does experience as Assistant School Head Designate count for School Principal I?

It may. The CSC rules say experience "acquired through a designation, covered by an Office or Memorandum Order, compliant with Section 13 (c) hereof, may be considered for meeting the experience requirement" (2025 ORAOHRA, Sec. 61). The School Principal I standard asks for "1 year relevant experience" in areas that include "subject area supervision" and "school management and operations" (DO 019, s. 2025, p. 9 of 47), and the HRMO and HRMPSB judge whether a designation meets it. Keep the SDS-signed order: experience from an invalid designation "shall not be credited" (2025 ORAOHRA, Sec. 13(c), rule 11).

## Download the data

- [designates-load-by-role.csv](https://nash.com.ph/blog/charts/career-progression/designates-load-by-role.csv): teaching hours as printed for Teachers, Master Teachers, Department Head Designates, Assistant School Head Designates and Teachers-in-Charge, with the rest of the eight-hour day computed and labeled (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 36.b–d; DO 005, s. 2024, Secs. V.A and V.A.1).
- [designates-eligibility-by-rank.csv](https://nash.com.ph/blog/charts/career-progression/designates-eligibility-by-rank.csv): for each rank from Teacher I to Master Teacher V, its salary grade and whether it is in the first pool, a fallback or a conditional case for each designation (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Secs. 12, 36.c.i and 36.d.i).

The CSVs and charts may be reused only with written permission: email [support@nash.com.ph](mailto:support@nash.com.ph). The rules themselves come from DepEd's issuances, which you can cite directly.

## Sources

- [Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive Order No. 174, s. 2022](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/IRR-of-EO-174-s.-2022.pdf), registered with ONAR August 1, 2024, Sec. 27 (PDF p. 11).
- [DepEd-DBM Joint Circular No. 01, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DepEd-DBM-JC-No.-01-s.-2025.pdf), Modified Position Classification and Compensation Scheme and System of Career Progression of Teachers and School Heads in the Public Basic Education System, February 19, 2025, Secs. 9.2–9.2.4 (PDF pp. 18–19).
- [DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2025_024r.pdf), Guidelines on the Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression System for Teachers and School Heads in the Department of Education, August 28, 2025: cover order, para. 2; Encl. No. 1, Secs. 12, 23, 24, 28, 29.a, 31 and 34–36 (PDF pp. 5, 14 and 16–25); Encl. No. 2, Secs. 14.b and 35.f (PDF pp. 34–35 and 44); Encl. No. 3, Sec. 33.f (PDF p. 68); Annex T (PDF p. 111); Appendix 2, Master Teacher (PDF pp. 118–119); Appendix 3 (PDF p. 121); Appendix 4 (PDF p. 122).
- [DepEd Order No. 034, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2025_034r.pdf), Amendments and Clarifications to DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, October 14, 2025, paras. 20 and 27 (PDF pp. 5–7).
- [DepEd Order No. 019, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2025_019r.pdf), adopting CSC Resolution No. 2500471 on the qualification standards, School Principal I (PDF p. 12, printed p. 9 of 47).
- [DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2024/04/29/april-29-2024-do-005-s-2024-rationalization-of-teachers-workload-in-public-schools-and-payment-of-teaching-overload/), Rationalization of Teachers' Workload in Public Schools and Payment of Teaching Overload, April 29, 2024, Secs. V.A item 1, V.A.1 items 1.a.i, 1.b.i, 1.b.iii and 5, V.A.2 items 1, 2 and 4, V.A.3 item 3 and V.A.4 item 1.c.
- [DepEd Memorandum No. 089, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/10/01/october-1-2025-dm-089-s-2025-guidelines-on-the-multi-year-performance-management-and-evaluation-system-for-teachers-from-school-years-2025-2026-to-2027-2028/), Guidelines on the Multi-Year Performance Management and Evaluation System for Teachers from School Years 2025–2026 to 2027–2028, October 1, 2025, paras. 23 and 91 and Table 18 (PDF pp. 10 and 23).
- [DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/09/17/september-17-2026-dm-055-s-2026-clarificatory-guidelines-on-the-designation-of-learner-formation-officers-in-schools-pursuant-to-the-revised-implementing-rules-and-regulations-of-republic/), Clarificatory Guidelines on the Designation of Learner Formation Officers in Schools, September 17, 2026, Encl., Secs. I.a.v, II.b and II.i.
- [Republic Act No. 12288](https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2025/09sep/20250912-RA-12288-FRM.pdf), Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act, approved September 12, 2025, Sec. 6. Its IRR, signed August 17, 2026: DepEd-certified copy in DepEd's [career progression toolkit folder](https://tinyurl.com/CareerProgToolKit). As of October 31, 2026, the IRR had not been published in the Official Gazette or on deped.gov.ph, so its effective date is not yet known.
- 2025 Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Human Resource Actions, CSC Resolution No. 2500358, promulgated April 30, 2025, Secs. 13(c) and 61 (PDF pp. 31, 35–37 and 55), in DepEd's [Career Progression Materials folder](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1y1yKNBQWxlCMMHRXfOqtsndKvK4GecK_).
- DepEd Memorandum DM-OUHROD-2025-3003, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025 and DepEd Order No. 34, s. 2025, October 24, 2025, Annex A, as updated November 6, 2025, Q25, Q26, Q27, Q29 and Q30 (pp. 7–8), in DepEd's [career progression toolkit folder](https://tinyurl.com/CareerProgToolKit).
- DepEd, National Orientation on the Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression System for Teachers and School Heads (DO 024, s. 2025), session slides, undated, p. 50, in DepEd's [Career Progression Materials folder](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1y1yKNBQWxlCMMHRXfOqtsndKvK4GecK_).
- DepEd, Consolidated Questions and Answers, DM 53, s. 2024 online orientation (updated November 13, 2024), Nos. 2 and 5, in [DepEd's Teacher Workload Public Drive](https://bit.ly/TeacherWorkload_ToolsandProcedure).
- DepEd, Consolidated Question and Answer from the Online Meeting with Regional and Schools Division Offices on the Implementation Status of Teacher Workload Policies (May 25–26 and June 2, 2026), Nos. 3 and 7, in [DepEd's Teacher Workload Public Drive](https://bit.ly/TeacherWorkload_ToolsandProcedure).

## The career progression series

- [DepEd Expanded Career Progression (ECP): The Full Guide](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-expanded-career-progression-guide)
- [How to Be Reclassified to Teacher IV to VII in DepEd](https://nash.com.ph/blog/teacher-iv-to-vii-reclassification)
- [How to Become a Master Teacher Under DepEd's ECP](https://nash.com.ph/blog/master-teacher-reclassification-ecp)
- [ECP Salary Grades for Teachers, MTs and Principals](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ecp-salary-grades-teachers-principals)
- [ECP Qualification Standards Under DO 019, s. 2025](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ecp-qualification-standards-do-019-2025)
- [ECP Point System: How the HRMPSB Scores Applicants](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ecp-point-system-hrmpsb-scoring)
- [School Principal I to IV: Promotion Under the ECP](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-principal-reclassification-ecp)
- [The School Head's Role in ECP Reclassification](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-head-role-ecp-reclassification)
- [Head Teacher Retitling: Options Under ECP and RA 12288](https://nash.com.ph/blog/head-teacher-retitling-ecp-ra-12288)
- [Why ECP Reclassification Was Deferred in 2026](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ecp-reclassification-deferral-2026)
- [What RA 12288 Changes in Teacher Career Progression](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ra-12288-career-progression-changes)
- Department Head, Assistant School Head and MT Duties (this post)

*Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: IRR of EO 174; DepEd-DBM JC No. 01, s. 2025; DepEd Orders No. 024 (with Appendices 2–4), 034 and 019, s. 2025; DO 005, s. 2024; DM 089, s. 2025; DM 055, s. 2026; RA 12288; the 2025 ORAOHRA; DepEd's ECP FAQs, orientation deck and workload Q&A. Charts may be reused only with written permission from support@nash.com.ph.*

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© 2026 Mark Anthony Llego, NASH Reviewer. All rights reserved. You may quote up to 100 words from this article with the author's name, its title and a link. In research, cite it as: Llego, M. A. (2026, October 31). *Department Head, Assistant School Head and MT Duties*. NASH Reviewer. https://nash.com.ph/blog/department-head-assistant-school-head-designates. Any other reuse of the article, its charts or its data needs written permission: email support@nash.com.ph. Terms of Service: https://nash.com.ph/terms#website-content-and-data