Question & AnswerQ&A (DEPED ORDER NO. 26, S. 2002)
The State shall encourage and promote the teaching of religion to children in public elementary and high schools within regular class hours, recognizing its role in citizen formation while adhering to the constitutional prohibition against favoring any particular religion.
It applies to all public elementary and high schools in the Philippines.
Optional religious instruction refers to religion classes in public schools for students whose parents have opted to request religious instruction for their children in the religion of their choice. This is a prerogative of the parents or guardians.
Regular class hours refer to the normal scheduled periods of instruction or laboratory work for a student.
Religious teachers/instructors must be formally sourced or recruited by school principals based on the request for optional religious instruction and must be authorized by their religious authorities. Regular teachers may also teach religion if authorized and free from their teaching loads.
Parents or guardians must express their option in writing and accomplish the necessary application form requesting religious instruction for their child/ward.
Students either not receiving religious instruction or those without available instructors for their denomination should be supervised by their class advisers during the religion classes.
Religious instruction shall be taught during regular class hours, with no more than forty students of the same level and religion per class, unless the religious authority certifies that a larger class is practicable.
Religious instruction must be allotted at least ninety minutes per week, spread over two to three meetings.
No, values education and optional religious instruction are separate, different, and distinct subjects, each to be allotted separate class hours.
Any principal, school head, or teacher who violates any provision of the Order shall face appropriate disciplinary sanctions after due process.
No, the implementation should not entail additional cost to the government as stated in the policy declaration.