Key Education Laws for LET (RA 4670, RA 9155, RA 10533)
Last updated: March 2026
Education laws are among the most frequently tested topics in the Professional Education component of the LET. The board exam regularly includes questions that ask you to identify specific provisions, differentiate between laws, or apply legal concepts to teaching scenarios. This reviewer covers the key education laws you must know, with emphasis on the provisions most commonly tested on the LET.
For RA 7836 (Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act), see our dedicated RA 7836 Summary.
RA 4670: Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (1966)
Republic Act No. 4670, also known as the "Magna Carta for Public School Teachers," was enacted on June 18, 1966. It is the primary law that protects the rights and welfare of public school teachers in the Philippines. This is one of the most heavily tested education laws on the LET.
Key Provisions
Section 2: Title Definition
"Teacher" refers to all persons engaged in classroom teaching in public schools at all levels, whether full-time or part-time. This includes guidance counselors, school librarians, industrial arts or vocational instructors, and other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions.
Section 5: Tenure of Office
Stability of employment and security of tenure shall be assured to teachers. No teacher shall be transferred without their consent, except when the transfer is made in the interest of the service and the exigency of the school requires it.
Section 6: Consent for Transfer
No teacher shall be transferred to a school farther than the teacher's current station unless the transfer is consented to by the teacher, or is made necessary by the exigencies of the service. Transfer without consent is a violation of this law.
Section 11: Teaching Hours
Any teacher engaged in actual classroom instruction shall not be required to render more than six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching a day. Additional hours shall be considered overtime with corresponding compensation.
Section 13: Teaching Assignments
No teacher shall be assigned to perform non-teaching duties unless absolutely necessary. When such assignment is made, it should be temporary, and any teacher who refuses shall not be subjected to disciplinary action.
Section 14: Additional Compensation
Teachers shall be entitled to additional compensation for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Compensation shall be at least 25% of their regular remuneration for work beyond their normal teaching hours.
Section 19: Special Hardship Allowance
Teachers assigned to areas with difficult or hazardous conditions (remote areas, frontier regions) shall be entitled to a special hardship allowance of at least 25% of their monthly salary.
Section 23: Study Leave
Teachers shall be entitled to study leave not exceeding one (1) school year after every seven (7) years of service. The leave shall be granted with at least 60% of monthly salary.
Section 26: Administrative Charges
No administrative charge shall be filed against a teacher unless the complaint is under oath. In the hearing of administrative cases, the teacher shall have the right to be informed of the charges, to defend themselves, and to have a counsel of their choice.
Section 32: Academic Freedom
Teachers shall enjoy academic freedom in the discharge of their professional duties, particularly with regard to teaching and classroom methods.
RA 9155: Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001
Republic Act No. 9155 established the framework for the governance of the Department of Education (DepEd) and introduced school-based management (SBM) as the guiding principle for Philippine education. It renamed DECS (Department of Education, Culture and Sports) to the Department of Education (DepEd).
Key Provisions
School-Based Management (SBM)
The school is the heart of the formal education system. RA 9155 decentralizes authority and accountability to the school level, making the school principal the primary leader responsible for school management.
DepEd Organizational Structure
RA 9155 defines the roles at each level: National (Secretary of Education — sets national policies), Regional (Regional Director — implements policies regionally), Division (Schools Division Superintendent — manages schools in a division), District (District Supervisor — coordinates schools in a district), School (Principal — manages the individual school).
Role of the School Head
The school head (principal) has the authority, accountability, and responsibility for the following: setting the mission, vision, goals, and objectives of the school; creating an environment within the school conducive to teaching and learning; implementing the school curriculum; managing the school budget and resources.
Role of the Teacher
Teachers shall be accountable for the effective attainment of learning objectives, facilitating learning in the classroom, and maintaining an atmosphere conducive to learning.
Separation of Functions
RA 9155 separated the functions of education into three agencies: DepEd (basic education), CHED (Commission on Higher Education — tertiary education), and TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority — technical-vocational education).
RA 10533: Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (K-12)
Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, is the law that established the K-12 program in the Philippines, adding two years of Senior High School to the basic education cycle.
Key Provisions
Enhanced Basic Education Program
Basic education now covers at least one (1) year of kindergarten, six (6) years of elementary education, and six (6) years of secondary education (four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school). Total: K+6+4+2 = 13 years.
Mandatory Kindergarten
Kindergarten education is mandatory and is a prerequisite for admission to Grade 1. The medium of instruction in kindergarten is the mother tongue of the learners.
Curriculum Features
The K-12 curriculum is learner-centered, inclusive, and research-based. It uses spiral progression (topics are revisited with increasing complexity), mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) in early grades, and contextualized and global standards.
Medium of Instruction
The medium of instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 3 is the regional or native language. Filipino and English are gradually introduced. From Grade 4 onwards, Filipino and English are used as media of instruction.
Senior High School Tracks
Senior High School offers four tracks: Academic (STEM, ABM, HUMSS, GAS), Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), Sports, and Arts and Design. Students choose a track based on their aptitude, interests, and intended career or college course.
Goals of K-12
The K-12 program aims to produce graduates who are: holistically developed (with 21st century skills), prepared for higher education, employment, entrepreneurship, or middle-level skilled workers, and globally competitive.
RA 10157: Kindergarten Education Act (2012)
Republic Act No. 10157 institutionalized the kindergarten education program. Key provisions:
- Kindergarten education is mandatory and compulsory for entrance to Grade 1
- It shall be provided free of charge in public schools
- The medium of instruction shall be the mother tongue of the learners
- The curriculum shall use the play-based approach focusing on social and emotional development, language, numeracy, and cognitive skills
- Children must be at least five (5) years old at the start of the school year to be admitted
RA 10627: Anti-Bullying Act of 2013
RA 10627 requires all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to address bullying in their institutions. Key provisions include:
- Definition of bullying: Any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture directed at another student that causes physical or emotional harm, creates a hostile school environment, infringes on the rights of the student, or materially disrupts the education process.
- Cyberbullying is included and defined as bullying done through electronic means
- Schools must adopt anti-bullying policies and report incidents to DepEd
- Schools must provide counseling and other intervention programs for both the bully and the victim
RA 7877: Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995
RA 7877 is relevant to the LET because it applies to education environments. Key provisions:
- Sexual harassment is committed when a person in authority (such as a teacher) makes sexual demands on a student, whether or not the demand is accepted
- In an education environment, sexual harassment is committed by a teacher, instructor, professor, coach, or any person who has authority over the student
- Penalties include imprisonment of 1-6 months and/or a fine of P10,000-P20,000
BP 232: Education Act of 1982
Batas Pambansa Bilang 232 provides the framework for the Philippine education system. Key provisions tested on the LET:
- Rights of students: Right to receive competent instruction, right to free and voluntary student organization, right to be free from involuntary contributions, right to publish a student newspaper
- Duties of students: Exert utmost to develop potentials, uphold school rules and regulations, promote general welfare of the school
- Rights of teachers: Free from compulsory assignment not related to teaching duties, right to intellectual property over teaching materials
- Duties of parents: Parents have the duty to help the school in carrying out its educational programs
Quick Reference Table for the LET
| Law | Common Name | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| RA 7836 | Teachers Professionalization Act | LET, Board for Professional Teachers |
| RA 4670 | Magna Carta for Public School Teachers | Teacher rights, 6-hr teaching, study leave |
| RA 9155 | Governance of Basic Education Act | SBM, DepEd structure, school head roles |
| RA 10533 | Enhanced Basic Education Act | K-12 program, SHS tracks, MTB-MLE |
| RA 10157 | Kindergarten Education Act | Mandatory kindergarten, mother tongue |
| RA 10627 | Anti-Bullying Act | Anti-bullying policies, cyberbullying |
| BP 232 | Education Act of 1982 | Student rights, teacher rights, duties |
| RA 7877 | Anti-Sexual Harassment Act | Sexual harassment in education settings |
Practice Education Law Questions
LEPT Reviewer AI includes education law questions that test your knowledge of RA 4670, RA 9155, RA 10533, and other key laws. Get instant AI explanations for every answer.