AN ACT INSTITUTING A FRAME WORK OF GOVERNANCE FOR BASIC EDUCATION, ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, RENAMING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SPORTS AS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSESBe it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:Sec. 1.Short Title.- This Act shall be known as the "Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001."Sec. 2.Declaration of Policy.- It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and to make such education accessible to all by providing all Filipino children a free and compulsory education in the elementary level and free education in the high school level. Such education shall also include alternative learning systems for out-of-school youth and adult learners. It shall be the goal of basic education to provide them with the skills, knowledge and values they need to become caring, seIf-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens.The school shall be the heart of the formal education system. It is where children learn. Schools shall have a single aim of providing the best possible basic education for all learners.Governance of basic education shall begin at the national level it is at the regions, divisions, schools and learning centers herein referred to as the field offices - where the policy and principle for the governance of basic education shall be translated into programs, projects and services developed, adapted and offered to fit local needs.The State shall encourage local initiatives for improving the quality of basic education. The State shall ensure that the values, needs and aspirations of a school community are reflected in the program of education for the children, out-of-school youth and adult learners. Schools and learning centers shall be empowered to make decisions on what is best for the learners they serve.chanrobles virtualaw librarySec. 3.Purposes and Objectives.- The purposes and objectives of this Act are:(a) To provide the framework for the governance of basic education which shall set the general directions for educational policies and standards and establish authority, accountability and responsibility for achieving higher learning outcomes;cralaw(b) To define the roles and responsibilities of and provide resources to, the field offices which shall implement educational programs, projects and services in communities they serve;cralaw(c) To make schools and learning centers the most important vehicle for the teaching and learning of national values and for developing in the Filipino learners love of country and pride in its rich heritage;cralaw(d) To ensure that schools and learning centers receive the kind of focused attention they deserve and that educational programs, projects and services take into account the interests of all members of the community;cralaw(e) To enable the schools and learning centers to reflect the values of the community by allowing teachers/learning facilitators and other staff to have the flexibility to serve the needs of all learners;cralaw(f) To encourage local initiatives for the improvement of schools and learning centers and to provide the means by which these improvements may be achieved and sustained; and(g) To establish schools and learning centers as facilities where schoolchildren are able to learn a range of core competencies prescribed for elementary and high school education programs or where the out-of-school youth and adult learners are provided alternative learning programs and receive accreditation for at least the equivalent of a high school education.chanrobles virtualaw librarySec. 4.Definition of Terms.- For purposes of this Act, the terms or phrases used shall mean or be understood as follows:(a)Alternative Learning System-is a parallel learning system to provide a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction. It encompasses both the nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills;cralaw(b)Basic Education- is the education intended to meet basic learning needs which lays the foundation on which subsequent learning can be based. It encompasses early childhood, elementary and high school education as well as alternative learning systems four out-of-school youth and adult learners and includes education for those with special needs;cralaw(c)Cluster of Schools- is a group of schools which are geographically contiguous and brought together to improve the learning outcomes;cralaw(d)Formal Education- is the systematic and deliberate process of hierarchically structured and sequential learning corresponding to the general concept of elementary and secondary level of schooling. At the end of each level, the learner needs a certification in order to enter or advance to the next level;cralaw(e)Informal Education- is a lifelong process of learning by which every person acquires and accumulates knowledge, skills, attitudes and insights from daily experiences at home, at work, at play and from life itself;cralaw(f)Integrated School.- is a school that offers a complete basic education in one school site and has unified instructional program;cralaw(g)Learner- is any individual seeking basic literacy skills and functional life skills or support services for the improvement of the quality of his/her life;cralaw(h)Learning Center- is a physical space to house learning resources and facilities of a learning program for out-of-school youth and adults. It is a venue for face-to-face learning and activities and other learning opportunities for community development and improvement of the people's quality of life;cralaw(i)Learning Facilitator- is the key learning support person who is responsible for supervising/facilitating the learning process and activities of the learner;cralaw(j)Non-Formal Education- is any organized, systematic educational activity carried outside the framework of the formal system to provide selected types of learning to a segment of the population;cralaw(k)Quality Education- is the appropriateness, relevance and excellence of the education given to meet the needs and aspirations of an individual and society;cralaw(I).School -is an educational institution, private and public, undertaking educational operation with a specific age-group of pupils or students pursuing defined studies at defined levels, receiving instruction from teachers, usually located in a building or a group of buildings in a particular physical or cyber site; and(m).School Head- is a person responsible for the administrative and instructional supervision of the school or cluster of schools.CHAPTER 1GOVERNANCE OF BASIC EDUCATIONSec. 5.Principles of Shared Governance.- (a) Shared governance is a principle which recognizes that every unit in the education bureaucracy has a particular role, task and responsibility inherent in the office and for which it is principally accountable for outcomes;cralaw(b) The process of democratic consultation shall be observed in the decision-making process at appropriate levels. Feedback mechanisms shall be established to ensure coordination and open communication of the central office with the regional, division and school levels;cralaw(c) The principles of accountability and transparency shall be operationalized in the performance of functions and responsibilities at all levels; and(d) The communication channels of field offices shall be strengthened to facilitate flow of information and expand linkages with other government agencies, local government units and nongovernmental organizations for effective governance.chanrobles virtualaw librarySec. 6.Governance.- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall henceforth be called the Department of Education. It shall be vested with authority, accountability and responsibility for ensuring access to, promoting equity in, and improving the quality of basic education. Arts, culture and sports shall be as provided for in Sections 8 and 9 hereof.chanrobles virtualaw librarySec. 7.Powers, Duties and Functions.- The Secretary of the Department of Education shall exercise overall authority and supervision over the operations of the Department.A. National Level In addition to his/her powers under existing laws, the Secretary of Education shall have authority, accountability and responsibility for the following:(1) Formulating national educational policies;cralaw(2) Formulating a national basic education plan;cralaw(3) Promulgating national educational Standards;cralaw(4) Monitoring and assessing national learning outcomes;cralaw(5) Undertaking national educational research and studies;cralaw(6) Enhancing the employment status, professional competence, welfare and working conditions of all personnel of the Department; and(7) Enhancing the total development of learners through local and national programs and/or projects.chanroblesvirtuallawlibraryThe Secretary of Education shall be assisted by not more than four (4) undersecretaries and not more than four (4) assistant secretaries whose assignments, duties and responsibilities shall be governed by law. There shall be at least one undersecretary and one assistant secretary who shall be career executive service officers chosen from among the staff of the Department.B. Regional LevelThere shall be as many regional offices as may be provided by law. Each regional office shall have a director, an assistant director and an office staff for program promotion and support, planning, administrative and fiscal services.Consistent with the national educational policies, plans and standards, the regional director shall have authority, accountability and responsibility for the following:(1) Defining a regional educational policy framework which reflects the values, needs and expectations of the communities they serve;cralaw(2) Developing a regional basic education plan;cralaw(3) Developing regional educational standards with a view towards bench-marking for international competitiveness;cralaw(4) Monitoring, evaluating and assessing regional learning outcomes;cralaw(5) Undertaking research projects and developing and managing region wide projects which may be funded through official development assistance and/or or other finding agencies;cralaw(6) Ensuring strict compliance with prescribed national criteria for the recruitment, selection and training of all staff in the region and divisions.(7) Formulating, in coordination with the regional development council, the budget to support the regional educational plan which shall take into account the educational plans of the divisions and districts;cralaw(8) Determining the organization component of the divisions and districts and approving the proposed staffing pattern of all employees in the divisions and districts;cralaw(9) Hiring, placing and evaluating all employees in the regional office, except for the position of assistant director;cralaw(10) Evaluating all schools division superintendents and assistant division superintendents in the region;cralaw(II) Planning and managing the effective and efficient use of all personnel, physical and fiscal resources of the regional office, including professional staff development.;cralaw(12) Managing the database and management information system of the region;cralaw(13) Approving the establishment of public and private elementary and high schools and learning centers; and(14) Preforming such other functions as may be assigned by proper authorities.chanroblesvirtuallawlibraryC. Division LevelA division shall consist of a province or a city which shall have a schools division superintendent, at least one assistant schools division superintendent and an office staff for programs promotion, planning, administrative, fiscal, legal, ancillary and other support services.Consistent with the national educational policies, plans and standards the schools division superintendents shall have authority, accountability and responsibility for the following:(1) Developing and implementing division education development plans;cralaw(2) Planning and managing the effective and efficient use of all personnel, physical and fiscal resources of the division, including professional staff development;cralaw(3) Hiring, placing and evaluating all division supervisors and schools district supervisors as well as all employees in the division, both teaching and non-teaching personnel, including school heads, except for the assistant division superintendent;cralaw(4) Monitoring the utilization of funds provided by the national government and the local government units to the schools and learning centers;cralaw(5) Ensuring compliance of quality standards for basic education programs and for this purpose strengthening the role of division supervisors as subject area specialists;cralaw(6) Promoting awareness of and adherence by all schools and learning centers to accreditation standards prescribed by the Secretary of Education;cralaw(7) Supervising the operations of all public and private elementary, secondary and integrated schools, and learning centers; and(8) Performing such other functions as may be assigned by proper authorities.chanroblesvirtuallawlibraryD. Schools District LevelUpon the recommendation of the schools division superintendents, the regional director may establish additional schools district within a schools division. School districts already existing at tile time of the passage of the law shall be maintained. A schools district shall have a schools district supervisor and an office staff for program promotion.The schools district supervisor shall be responsible for:(1) Providing professional and instructional advice and support to the school heads and teachers/facilitators of schools and learning centers in the district or cluster thereof;cralaw(2) Curricula supervision; and(3) Performing such other functions as may be assigned by proper authorities.chanroblesvirtuallawlibraryE. School LevelThere shall be a school head for all public elementary schools and public high schools or a cluster thereof. The establishment of integrated schools from existing public elementary and public high schools shall be encouraged.The school head, who may be assisted by an assistant school head, shall be both an instructional leader and administrative manager. The school head shall form a them with the school teachers/learning facilitators for delivery of quality educational programs, projects and services. A core of nonteaching staff shall handle the school's administrative, fiscal and auxiliary services.Consistent with the national educational policies, plans and standards, the school heads shall have authority, accountability and responsibility for the following:(1) Setting the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the school;cralaw(2) Creating an environment within the school that is conducive to teaching and learning;cralaw(3) Implementing the school curriculum and being accountable for higher learning outcomes;cralaw(4) Developing the school education program and school improvement plan;cralaw(5) Offering educational programs, projects and services which provide equitable opportunities for all learners in the community;cralaw(6) Introducing new and innovative modes of instruction to achieve higher learning outcomes;cralaw(7) Administering and managing all personnel, physical and fiscal resources of the school;cralaw(8) Recommending the staffing complement of the school based on its needs;cralaw(9) Encouraging staff development;cralaw(10) Establishing school and community networks and encouraging the active participation of teachers organizations, nonacademic personnel of public schools, and parents-teachers-community associations;cralaw(11) Accepting donations, gifts, bequests and grants for the purpose of upgrading teachers' learning facilitators' competencies, improving ad expanding school facilities and providing instructional materials and equipment. Such donations or grants must be reported to the appropriate district supervisors and division superintendents; and(12) Performing such other functions as may be assigned by proper authorities.chanroblesvirtuallawlibraryThe Secretary of Education shall create a promotions board, at the appropriate levels, which shall formulate and implement a system of promotion for schools decision supervisors, schools district supervisors, and school heads. Promotion of school heads shall be based on educational qualification, merit and performance rather than on the number of teachers/learning facilitators and learners in the school.The qualifications, salary grade, status of employment and welfare and benefits of school heads shall be the same for public elementary, secondary and integrated schools.No appointment to the positions of regional directors, assistant regional directors, schools division superintendents and assistant schools division superintendents shall be made unless file appointee is a career executive service officer who preferably shall have risen from the ranks.

Commission on Higher Education (Philippines)TheCommission on Higher Educationof thePhilippines, abbreviated asCHED,is attached to the Office of the President for administrative purposes. It covers both public and private higher education institutions as well as degree-granting programs in all post-secondary educational institutions in the country.Chairman[edit]The former chairman of the Commission on Higher Education wasRomulo Neri, formerly Director General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and Socioeconomic Secretary. Neri was also a former Budget Secretary. Former Chairman Puno was replaced by the President, with Neri appointed to CHED temporarily to conduct a special mission and rehabilitate some of its aspects as part of the projects of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. On July 9, 2008 however, Corazon dela Paz resigned as president and chief executive officer of the Social Security System and the President named Chairman Romulo Neri as head of the SSS. Hence, CHED's post for chairman is now vacant.[2]On August 20, 2008, Manny Angeles was appointed new CHED Chairman, replacing Romulo Neri, and will be taking over acting CHED Chair Nona Ricaforte. Angeles was former chancellor of the Angeles University Foundation and president of the Clark Development Corporation.[3][4]William Medrano was also appointed commissioner of the CHED on August 29, 2008.[5]The Chairman of CHED is also the Chairperson of the Board of Regents of theUniversity of the Philippines.

Office of the Executive DirectorThe Office of the Executive Director consists of the Executive Director, the Deputy Executive Director, and the staff. It serves as head of the Commission Secretariat, and is charged with overseeing the overall implementation and operations of the CHED Central and Regional Offices. Pivotal to the successful implementation of the higher education reform agenda, this Office - Serves as clearinghouse for all communications received from internal and external sources; - Coordinates the agenda items and provides secretariat support to the Chairperson, in collaboration with the commission secretary in the preparation and documentation of the following major meetings: Commission En Banc (CEB); Management Committee (ManCom); and the Quarterly National Directorate; - Closely monitors all central and regional offices, making sure that all units are pursuing a common road map, consistent with the Commissions reform agenda and strategic plan; - Implements and monitors the compliance of Central and Regional Offices with all CEB decisions and directives; and - Provides advice to, and directs or assists CHED clients in addressing their various public service demands/needs.

Commission on Higher EducationCommission on Higher Education

Established:May 18,1994

Chairman:Patricia B. Licuanan, Ph.D.

Website:www.ched.gov.ph

TheCommission on Higher Education(Filipino:Komisyon sa Mas Mataas na Edukasyon) of thePhilippines, more popularly known asCHED, is one of the three agencies of thePhilippine governmentgoverning the education sector. It is primarily responsible for the oversight and supervision of both public and private higher education institutions as well as degree-granting programs in all tertiary educational institutions in thePhilippines.

HistoryCHED was created on May 18, 1994, throughRepublic ActNo. 7722, also known as theHigher Education Act of 1994, as part of a broad agenda for reforms in the country's education system outlined by the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) in 1992. Part of these reforms resulted in the trifocalization of the education sector, which was allocated among three governing bodies: the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for tertiary and graduate education, theDepartment of Education(DepEd) for basic education, and theTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA) for technical-vocational and middle level education.Functions and ResponsibilitiesMandateUnder R.A. 7722, CHED is mandated to promote quality education; take appropriate steps to ensure that education shall be accessible to all; and ensure and protect academic freedom for the continuing intellectual growth, the advancement of learning and research, the development of responsible and effective leadership, the education of high level professionals, and the enrichment of historical and cultural heritage.Powers and FunctionsCHED has the following powers and functions: Formulate and recommend development plans, policies,priorities, and programs on higher education; Formulate and recommend development plans, policies, priorities, and programs on research; Recommend to the executive and legislative branches priorities and grants on higher education and research; Set minimum standards for programs and institutions of higher learning recommended by panels of experts in the field and subject to public hearing, and enforced the same; Monitor and evaluate the performance of programs and institutions of higher learning for appropriate incentives as well as the imposition of sanctions such as, but not limited to, diminution or withdrawal of subsidy, recommendation on the downgrading or withdrawal of accreditation, program termination or school course; Identify, support and develop potential centers of excellence in program areas needed for the development of world-class scholarship, nation building and national development; Recommend to theDepartment of Budget and Management(DBM) the budgets of public institutions of higher learning as well as general guidelines for the use of their income; Rationalize programs and institutions of higher learning and set standards, policies and guidelines for the creation of new ones as well as the conversion or elevation of schools to institutions of higher learning, subject to budgetary limitations and the number of institutions of higher learning in the province or region where creation, conversion or elevation is sought to be made; Develop criteria for allocating additional resources such as research and program development grants, scholarships, and the other similar programs: Provided, that these shall not detract from the fiscal autonomy already enjoyed by colleges and universities; Direct or redirect purposive research by institutions of higher learning to meet the needs of agro-industrialization and development; Devise and implement resource development schemes; Administer the Higher Education Development Fund, as described in Section 10 of R.A. 7722, which will promote the purposes of higher education; Review the charters of institutions of higher learning and state universities and colleges including the chairmanship and membership of their governing bodies and recommend appropriate measures as basis for necessary action; Promulgate such rules and regulations and exercise such other powers and functions as may be necessary to carry out effectively the purpose and objectives of R.A. 7722; and Perform such other functions as may be necessary for its effective operations and for the continued enhancement, growth and development of higher education.Organizational Structure Office of the Chairman and Commissioners (OCC)- The Commission en banc acts as a collegial body in formulating plans, policies and strategies relating to higher education and in deciding important matters and problems regarding the operation of the CHED. It is composed of five full-time members, the chairman and four commissioners, each having a term of office of four years. The commissioners meet at least once a year with the CHED Board of Advisers which assists them in aligning CHED policies and plans with the cultural, political and socio-economic development needs of the nation and with the demands of world-class scholarship. CHED Board of Advisers Chairman:DepEdSecretary Co-Chairman:NEDADirector-General Members: DTISecretary DOLESecretary FAAP President FAPE President Additional 2 members Executive Office (EO)- Heads the CHED secretariat that implements the plans and policies of the Commission; oversees the over-all implementation of policies, programs, projects and activities of the different offices, namely: Office of Programs and Standards (OSS); Office of Policy, Planning, Research and Information (OPPRI); Office of Student Services (OSS); International Affairs Service (IAS); Legal Affairs Service (LAS); Administrative Service (AS); Finance Service (FS); and Regional Offices; . It coordinates with the HEDF Secretariat in the utilization of HEDF funds for the efficient implementation of CHED programs and projects. Program Committee- Serves as a forum for consensus building and review of policy formulations proposed by the different offices prior to endorsement to the Commission en banc; also serves as a coordinating advisory body to the Office of Programs and Standards; Office of Policy, Planning, Research and Information; Office of Student Services; and International Affairs Service on overlapping/crosscutting concerns including those with other CHED offices in relation to policy formulation. Office of Programs and Standards (OPS)- Tasked to assist in formulating academic development plans, policies, standards and guidelines for higher education programs, including alternative learning systems such as open learning and distance education; develop criteria and instruments in monitoring and evaluating the enforcement of Policies, Standards and Guidelines (PSGs) by the CHED Regional Offices; assist in formulating the criteria for selecting Centers of Excellence (COEs) and Centers of Development (CODs) in various academic programs and in developing the tools for evaluating the impact of COEs and CODs vis-a-vis students, community and country. The OPS has four divisions under the Office of the Director: Monitoring and Evaluation Division (Cluster "A"); Program Development Division (Cluster "B"); Standards Development Division (Cluster "C" ); and Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) (Cluster "D"). Office of Policy, Planning, Research and Information (OPPRI)- Tasked to assist in the development of sector-wide policies, plans, and programs and formulate/implement projects to improve the sub-sector; gather, process and analyze higher education data/information; conduct activities needed for policy/decision making, planning, project development and implementation; and package and disseminate higher education data/information and research outputs. The OPPRI has three divisions: Policy Development and Planning Division (PDPD); Research Division (RD); and Management and Information System Division (MISD). Office of Student Services (OSS)- Tasked to develop, recommend, monitor and evaluate the implementation of policies, systems, procedures and programs on matters pertaining to the various student services in higher education institutions. The OSS has two divisions: the Study Grant Division (SGD) and the Student Auxiliary Services Division (SASD) International Affairs Service (IAS)- Tasked to help promote Philippine higher education abroad for international recognition. It works in concert with all offices of CHED as they pursue their fundamental functions and objectives to enhance the international orientation and dimension of higher education. Admistrative Committee- Serves as a forum for consensus building and review of action plans, programs and services proposed by the Legal Affairs Service, Administrative Service and Finance Service prior to endorsement to the Commission en banc. It serves as coordinating/advisory body to the three offices in relation to policy formulation. Legal Affairs Service (LAS)- Renders efficient and competent legal services to the CHED and its constituents upon being provided sufficient staff, facilities and resources, by rendering rulings, opinions and other legal actions on matters concerning the implementation of R.A. 8272, R.A. 7279 and other relevant education laws, CHED memoranda, orders and guidelines, and the preparation, examination and implementation of its programs, systems and procedures, as well as issues and concerns affecting the rights and obligations of the various sectors of the educational community. Administrative Service (AS)- Tasked to develop and maintain the personnel program that includes recruitment, selection and appointment, performance evaluation, employee relations and welfare services, leave administration and other personnel benefits; plan and develop training programs for CHED that are geared to the needs of the individual as measured by the requirements of his present and probable future job; and provide property and supply services, records management services, cash management, reproduction, messengerial and other related services. Finance Service (FS)- Tasked to prepare the budget proposal of the CHED and coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management and both Houses of Congress in the preparation of the said budget; evaluate budgetary proposals of CHED Supervised Institutions (CSIs) and integrate proposed budget of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs); keeps record of all financial transactions of the CHED, perform pre-audit functions on all disbursements funded by regular appropriation and render required financial reports; and review and consolidates financial statements of CSIs and render quarterly consolidated financial reports. Higher Education Development Fund Secretariat (HEDF)- Tasked to mobilize funds for the strengthening of higher education in the entire country and monitor the implementation of programs and projects to ensure achievement of objectives within the allocated budgets. Regional Offices (ROs)- Serve as the frontline offices or the implementing units of the CHED in the different regions of the country. They carry out the CHED's thrusts, programs, and policies at the regional level and serve as centers or focal points where all concerns, issues, programs and projects of higher education institutions are facilitated. Technical Panels (TPs)- Serve as advisory and consultative bodies to the Commission. These are composed of academicians, practitioners, representatives of professional organizations and appropriate government agencies.Technical Panels have been created for the following disciplines: Science and Mathematics; Humanities, Social Sciences and Communication; Information Technology; Health Profession Education; Engineering, Technology and Architecture; Maritime Education; Business and Management; Agricultural Education; Teacher Education; and Legal Education and Criminology.

Department of Education(Redirected fromDepartment of Education (Philippines))TheDepartment of Education(Filipino:Kagawaran ng Edukasyon), more popularly known asDepEd, formerly the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (Filipino:Kagawaran ng Edukasyon, Kultura at Palakasan) or DECS, is theexecutive departmentof thePhilippine governmentwhich is primarily charged with the management and upkeep of the Philippine educational system. One of three government bodies overseeing and supervising education in the Philippines, the DepEd is the chief formulator of Philippine educational policy and is responsible for the Philippine primary and secondary school system, whileCHEDis responsible for tertiary and graduate education andTESDAis responsible for technical-vocational and middle level education.

HistoryIn pre-Hispanic times, education in the Philippines was informal and unstructured, without any fixed methodology. Children were usually taught by their parents and tribal tutors and such education was geared more towards skills development. This underwent a major change when Spain colonized the islands. Tribal tutors were replaced by Spanish missionaries, and education became oriented more towards academics and the Catholic religion. It was also primarily for the elite, especially in the early years of the colony. Later, however, theEducational Decree of 1863was enacted, providing for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government; and the establishment of a normal school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits. Primary instruction was free and the teaching of Spanish was compulsory. More significantly, this decree also established the Superior Commission of Primary Instruction, a forerunner of the present Department of Education.UnderAguinaldos Revolutionary Government, the Spanish schools were initially closed, but were reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of the Interior. A system of free and compulsory elementary education was established by theMalolos Constitution. The Burgos Institute inMalolos, the Military Academy of Malolos, and the Literary University of the Philippines were also established.During the American occupation, an adequate secularized and free public school system was established upon the recommendation of theSchurman Commission. Per instructions of PresidentWilliam McKinley, theTaft Commissionenforced free primary instruction that trained the people for the duties of citizenship, and assigned chaplains and non-commissioned officers to teach, using English as the medium of instruction.ThePhilippine Commissioninstituted a highly centralized public school system in 1901, by virtue ofAct No. 74, which also established the Department of Public Instruction, headed by a General Superintendent. However, the implementation of this Act caused a heavy shortage of teachers, leading the Philippine Commission to authorize the Superintendent of Public Instruction to bring 600 teachers from the United States to the Philippines. These teachers would later be popularly known as theThomasites. Later, theOrganic Act of 1916reorganized the Department of Public Instruction, mandating that it be headed by a Secretary, and that all department secretaries should beFilipinos, except for the Secretary of Public Instruction.DuringWorld War II, the department was reorganized once again through the JapaneseMilitary Order No. 2in 1942, which established the Commission of Education, Health, and Public Welfare. With the establishment of theJapanese-sponsored Republic, the Ministry of Education was created on October 14, 1943. Under the Japanese, the teaching ofTagalog,Philippine History, and Character Education was given priority. Love for work and the dignity of labor were also emphasized.In 1947, after thePhilippine Commonwealthhad been restored, the Department of Instruction was changed to Department of Education by virtue ofExecutive Order No. 94. During this period, the regulation and supervision of public and private schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools. In 1972, the Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture by virtue ofPresidential Decree No. 1, and subsequently became the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1978 by virtue ofPresidential Decree No. 1397. Thirteenregionaloffices were created and major organizational changes were implemented in the educational system.TheEducation Act of 1982created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, which later became the Department of Education, Culture and Sports in 1987 by virtue ofExecutive Order No. 117ofPresidentCorazon C. Aquino. The structure of DECS as embodied in EO No. 117 practically remained unchanged until 1994, when theCommission on Higher Education(CHED) was established to supervise tertiary degree programs , and 1995, when theTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA) was established to supervise non-degree technical-vocational programs.The trifocal education system refocused DECS mandate to basic education which covers elementary, secondary and nonformal education, including culture and sports. TESDA now administers the post-secondary, middle-level manpower training and development, while CHED is responsible for higher education.In August 2001,Republic Act No. 9155, otherwise called the "Governance of Basic Education Act", was passed renaming the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to the Department of Education (DepEd) and redefining the role of field offices, which include regional offices, division offices, district offices, and schools.List of Secretaries of EducationMonth startedMonth finishedNamePosition

Secretaries of Public Instruction

19351940Sergio Osmena

19401941Jorge Bocobo

Secretaries of Public Instruction, Health, and Public WelfareCommonwealth War Cabinet

19421944Sergio Osmena

Commissioner of Public InstructionPhilippine Executive Commission

19421943Claro M. Recto

Minister of Public Instruction2nd Republic

19431945Jorge Bocobo

Secretaries of Education, Culture and Sports

February 1986December 1989Lourdes Quisumbing

January 1990June 1992Isidro Cario

July 1992July 1994Armand Fabella

August 1994December 1997Ricardo Gloria

January 1998June 1998Erlinda Pefianco

July 1998January 2001Br. Andrew Gonzalez

February 2001August 2001Raul Roco

Secretaries of Education

August 2001August 2002Raul Roco

September 2002July 2004Edilberto de Jesus

July 2004July 2005Florencio Abad

July 2005September 2005Ramon BacaniOIC

September 2005July 2006Fe HidalgoActing

July 2006June 30, 2010Jesli Lapus

June 30, 2010presentArmin A. Luistro, FSC

Functions and ResponsibilitiesOrganization Office of the Secretary Administrative Services- Responsible for providing the Department with economical, efficient, and effective services relating to legal assistance, information records, supplies, equipment, security and custodial work. Office of the Director Legal Division General Services Division Dental Clinic Medical Clinic Radio Communication Network Unit Security Service Unit Records Division Property Division Teachers Camp Financial and Management Service Budget Division Accounting Division Management Division Payroll Services Division Systems Division Cash Division. Human Resource Development Service- Develops and administers personnel programs which include selection and placement, classification and pay, career and employment development performance appraisal, employee relations and welfare services. Personnel Division Projects Monitoring and evaluation of Personnel Records and Current Personnel Actions in the different Regional and Division Offices. Establishment of the DECS Personnel Information System (PIS) National Search Committee Revision of the DECS Performance Appraisal System (PAS) DECS-PLM Off-Campus Masteral and Doctoral Programs Review of Position Description to update position titles in DECS Personnel Audit of Schools and Personnel of the Central Office Employees Welfare and Benefits Division DECS Provident Fund DECS Expanded Shelter Program DECS Cooperative Program DECS Employees Suggestion and Incentive Awards System (ESIAS) Pre-Retirement Innovation and Option for Results (PRIOR) DECS-PVB Financial Assistance DECS Hospitalization Fund Program Staff Development Division Special Programs Values Orientation Workshop Human Rights Education Peace Educations Gender and Development Graft and Corruption Prevention Education Programs Local and Foreign Scholarships Skills Enhancement Programs of DECS Non-Teaching Personnel Computer Literacy Programs Career Planning and Development Automatic Progression Scheme Alternative Training Delivery Systems The Distance Training Program (DTP) Expanded Shelter Program DECS Provident Fund DECS Hospitalization Guarantee Fund Program DECS Grievance machinery DECS Employees Suggestions and Incentives Awards System DECS Teachers and Employees Cooperatives Pre-Retirement Innovations and Options for Results Planning Service- Responsible for providing the department with effective and efficient services like generating and processing of education- related data, developing educational programs/projects, program monitoring, assessment and evaluation, planning and programming of educational facilities and providing technical assistance to requesting offices from the national to the sub-national levels related to the planning and related activities. Planning and Programming Division Project Development and Evaluation Division Research and Statistics Division Physical Facilities Division Technical Service Materials Production and Publication Division Educational Information Division Audio-Visual Division Educational Technology Unit

DepEd MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE To carry out its mandates and objectives, the Department is organized into two major structural components. The Central Office maintains the overall administration of basic education at the national level. The Field Offices are responsible for the regional and local coordination and administration of the Departments mandate. RA 9155 provides that the Department should have no more than four Undersecretaries and four Assistant Secretaries with at least one Undersecretary and one Assistant Secretary who are career service officers chosen among the staff of the Department. At present, the Department operates with four Undersecretaries in the areas of: (1) Programs and Projects; (2) Regional Operations; (3) Finance and Administration; and (4) Legal Affairs; four Assistant Secretaries in the areas of: (1) Programs and Projects; (2) Planning and Development; (3) Budget and Financial Affairs; and (4) Legal Affairs. 7. Backstopping the Office of the Secretary at the Central Office are the different services, bureaus and centers. The five services are the Administrative Service, Financial and Management Service, Human Resource Development Service, Planning Service, and Technical Service. Three staff bureaus provide assistance in formulating policies, standards, and programs related to curriculum and staff development. These are the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE), Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE), and the Bureau of Nonformal Education (BNFE). By virtue of Executive Order No. 81 series of 1999, the functions of a fourth bureau, the Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports (BPESS), were absorbed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) last August 25, 1999. Six centers or units attached to the Department similarly provide technical and administrative support towards the realization of the Departments vision. These are the National Education Testing and Research Center (NETRC), Health and Nutrition Center (HNC), National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force (EDPITAF), National Science Teaching Instrumentation Center (NSTIC), and Instructional Materials Council Secretariat (IMCS). There are four special offices under OSEC: the Adopt-a-School Program Secretariat, Center for Students and Co-curricular Affairs, Educational Technology Unit, and the Task Force Engineering Assessment and Monitoring. 8.7,683 secondary schools (4,422 public and 3,261 private)40,763 elementary schools (36,234 public and 4,529 private) Other attached and support agencies to the Department are the Teacher Education Council (TEC), Philippine High School for the Arts, Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC), and the Instructional Materials Council (IMC). At the sub-national level, the Field Offices consist of the following: Sixteen (16) Regional Offices, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM*), each headed by a Regional Director (a Regional Secretary in the case of ARMM); One hundred fifty-seven (157) Provincial and City Schools Divisions, each headed by a Schools Division Superintendent. Assisting the Schools Division Offices are 2,227 School Districts, each headed by a District Supervisor; Under the supervision of the Schools Division Offices are forty-eight thousand, four hundred forty-six (48, 446) schools, broken down as follows: The Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE) is responsible for providing access and quality elementary education for all. It also focuses on social services for the poor and directs public resources and efforts at socially disadvantaged regions and specific groups. The Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE) is responsible for providing access and quality secondary education. Its aim is to enable every elementary graduate to have access to secondary education. It improves access to secondary education by establishing schools in municipalities where there are none and reviews the overall structure of secondary education as regards curriculum, facilities, and teachers in-service training. The Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE) is responsible for contributing to the improvement of the poor through literacy and continuing education programmes. Its aim is to provide focused basic services to the more disadvantaged sections of the population to improve their welfare and contribute to human resource development.

Acess and Equity in education

Figure -2: Distribution of Philippine EFA Costs by ComponentThe Philippine EFA StrategyThe foregoing background of the state of primary education and EFA targets thus provided the framework for the formulation of the Philippine EFA strategy. The strategy aimed to ensure that there would be universal basic education of appropriate standards by addressing the access, equity, quality, relevance and sustainability concerns relative to the flow of students into and within the system. Special attention was to be focused on particular target groups. EFA efforts were to be directed towards bringing basic education to the rural poor, the urban slums, cultural communities, refugees, women, the disabled, and other educationally disadvantaged groups.Under the PPA, EFA was operationalised as providing elementary education (Grades 1 to 6) for all Filipinos by the year 2000. Education sector and non-education agencies were to jointly implement the EFA programme, whose primary goal was to meet basic learning needs, which consist of the basic learning tools and basic learning contents. The first include literacy, numeracy, problem solving and oral expression while the second include knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary for people to survive, to improve the quality of their lives and to continue learning. In furtherance of the main EFA strategy, four major interventions were to be undertaken, i.e., (i) institutionalisation of early childhood care and development, (ii) provision of universal quality primary education; (iii) eradication of illiteracy; and (iv) continuing educational development for adults and out-of-school youth, that subsumed the six target dimensions defined in UNESCOsFramework for Action to Meet Basic Learning Needs.Access to early childhood care and development services was to be expanded not just for its child custodial, socialisation and values formation functions but also as a fundamental anti-poverty input that would improve the internal efficiency of elementary education. With broadened ECCD provision, future elementary school entrants would be equipped with the learning skills and get the needed health-nutrition services crucial to their survival in schools. Those who take care of pre-school children, i.e., the parents, surrogate parents and guardians, were likewise to be accorded attention through relevant training programmes that would enhance their knowledge of and skills in rearing children in preparation for future schooling.Educational authorities were to assure those already in school stayed there and were provided good quality educational inputs, primarily through curriculum reform and teacher development. The achievement levels that were to be raised encompass the development of creativity, critical thinking and functionality. In recognition of resource differences, compensatory provision of educational inputs was to be resorted to primarily with non-traditional methods for delivering basic education. This was intended to promote equity and ensuring the maximised participation of under-served groups.For those outside of the educational mainstream, such as non-literate, semi-literate adults and out-of-school youths, broader access to the alternative learning systems was to be ensured to provide them functional literacy skills and continuing education for development (CED). The ALS was equally meant to serve developmental functions: through it learners would go on learning towards the development of a learning society, the scope of choices of learners in acquiring education would be widened, certain inherent inadequacies and limitations of the school system would be addressed and the way for the so-called borderless or "open" learning would be smoothly paved.All the above thrusts were to have been implemented through a closely linked multi-sectoral approach to education that was to be promoted in a "grand alliance" scheme among all the public and private sector EFA participants.1. The Environment for EFAOne single accomplishment that the Philippines could be noted for in the implementation of the EFA programme concerns the decisive moves it took that in their totality internalised the EFA vision. During the decade of the 1990s, the Philippines saw a number of interrelated developments that created an environment highly favourable to the pursuit of the ideals of education for all. A chronological recollection reveals a series of events that had deep-reaching impacts on the orientation and structure of basic education and its delivery mechanisms. The Philippines succeeded in establishing an EFA orientation that extends beyond the EFA plan period and well into the next millennium.The Philippine Plan of ActionThe first, of course, was the completion of the Philippine Plan of Action (PPA) for EFA. The PPA was the culmination of arduous work that started with the preparation of the EFA Framework in 1989 and the subsequent issuance, in October 16thof the same year, of Presidential Proclamation No. 480. This Proclamation, aside from declaring the period 1990 to 1999 as the "Decade of Education for All," also directed the preparation of the national action plan and the initiation of a legislative agenda in support of EFA. In 1990, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) endorsed the framework that later evolved to become the PPA. A year later, in June 1991, the Government released the PPA with the President of the Philippines approval. This plan was subsequently considered a model for other countries and was noted for its being a "well-designed and comprehensive document that specified national goals, objectives, policies and strategies as well as regional programmes for implementation."Enlarged Role of Local GovernmentsIn 1991, the Local Government Code (LGC) was enacted. This law provided the local government units (LGUs) greater resources to support elementary and secondary education. The LGC has empowered the LGUs with more autonomy and spending power primarily through their Internal Revenue Allotments (IRAs) and their greater authority for resource generation and mobilisation. In addition, among the central government functions slated for devolution to the LGUs is school building construction and maintenance. Thus, the local governments are increasingly providing educational inputs like books, classroom furniture and additional teachers, reducing the financial pressure on the central government. Local governments participate in the operation of the educational system through their respective local school boards. Republic Act No. 5447, enacted in 1968, and Section 98 of the 1991 Local Government Code are the legal bases for the existence of school boards in every province, city and municipality. A local school boards overriding task is to administer the special education fund with the aim of upgrading standards in the public schools.It is inherent in the boards charter, and therefore incumbent upon them to give priority to: a) construction, repair and maintenance of school buildings and other facilities of public elementary and secondary schools; b) establishment and maintenance of extension classes where necessary; and c) sports activities at the division, district, municipal andbarangaylevels. However, more than the enhanced capacity to spend on education, the biggest contribution of the LGC could very well be that it has brought the direction of education closer to the stakeholders, and with it, the greater responsibility that they now have over their respective communities educational future.The LGC likewise mandated the devolution of many social sector services to the LGUs. The maintenance of public day care services, once the responsibility of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the implementation of health services formerly run by the Department of Health were transferred to the LGUs. These developments had two major but conflicting implications; the first is that closer community control and management could have resulted in better services to the clients and the second is that the provision of such services would have suffered from wide variations among localities in terms of the intensity and quality of inputs.Enhanced Child Development PoliciesBefore the EFA decade, there were already extant laws that provided unambiguous support for child development as opposed to just child survival. The Child and Youth Welfare Code, promulgated by virtue of Presidential Decree 603 prior to 1984 established childrens basic rights to adequate food, shelter, clothing and protection and unequivocally ensured the childs right to a well-rounded personality development to the end that he may become a happy, useful and active member of society. In addition to this, the 1987 Barangay Level Total Development and Protection of Children Act obliged the Department of Social Welfare and Development to provide funds for establishing and maintaining day care centres. Then in 1990, the Philippines signed the International Convention of the Rights of the Child. In support of its obligations under that convention, the Council for the Welfare of Children produced the Philippine Plan of Action for Children (PPAC), which details the countrys commitment to extending the coverage, and improving the quality, of the full range of programmes affecting child development. At about the same time, the National Nutrition Council, an arm of the Department of Agriculture, laid down the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN). This plan set out the policy framework for nutrition that could lead to the virtual elimination of vitamin and mineral deficiencies among children. Lastly, in 1995, the Philippine Congress passed the Act to Promote Iodisation Nationwide, which could result in the elimination of iodine deficiency and goiter among children.DECS Focus on Basic EducationIn 1994, the Government decided to restructure the education sector in line with the recommendations of the Congressional Education Commission (EDCOM). This resulted,inter alia, in the specialisation by level of education of the major governmental agencies responsible for the provision of education and training. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) was made to focus on elementary and secondary education. Pursuant to its new mandate, the DECS endeavoured to prepare a 10-year (1996-2005) Master Plan for Basic Education (MPBE) to guide the future direction of the sub-sector, adopting the EFA programme as its centrepiece. By doing so, the Philippines embraced all the fundamental elements of EFA, from its four basic thrusts to the broad strategies meant to shape the expanded vision of basic education, and translated them into national educational performance goals. The Philippines had therefore carried its EFA Plan of Action much farther ahead. For while it was committed to seeing through the EFA programme up to the end of the century, it had nonetheless seen fit to still extend this commitment into the future. Although the expression of this commitment was constrained by the timeframe limitations of rational long-term planning, the spirit of support for EFA had been stamped indelibly and irretrievably. Because of the interweaving of the EFA objectives within the broader MPBE, subsequent policies, programmes and projects were then consciously formulated against the backdrop of EFA objectives.The Philippines commitment to EFA had thus become much more intensive than was originally planned.2. The Evolution of EFAThe implementation of EFA in the Philippines has undergone an evolution or process of change that could be discerned in two distinct stages. In roughly its first three years (1991-1993), EFA was executed within the context of the DECS organisation prior to its restructuring in 1994. At that time the DECS had the responsibility for all levels and types of education, i.e., from elementary to tertiary, including vocational training. Since EFA is primarily a concern of primary or basic education (defined here within the formal Philippine structure as elementary education) and non-formal education, it was thought then that there was justification and actual need for specialised organisational units and processes to handle EFA as a specific concern. Thus, the policy and management structures that were planned under the PPA were brought into fruition and operationalised albeit only for a limited period. This was because beginning in 1994, reforms within the education sector brought about by the legislation of the EDCOM recommendations resulted in DECS concentration in elementary, secondary and non-formal education. The completion of the MPBE and its release in 1995 to serve as the guide for DECS future directions therefore ushered in the second stage of the EFA evolution. The findings and recommendations of this assessment may well pave the way for the third stage.The Philippines MPBE was in reality built upon, and is an expanded version of EFAs education components. In a sense then, the DECS believes that it had virtually become EFA and vice-versa, at least in so far as universal quality primary education (UQPE) was concerned. It absorbed the four basic thrusts of EFA as the fundamental anchors of its mainline programmes and harnessed the entire resources of the DECS behind them. The MPBE established some new targets that reflected numerical goals that were more realistic and implicitly lengthened the EFA programmes implementation from 10 years to 15 years. This change is conceivably a welcome one in view of the obvious hiatus in EFA implementation that transpired during 1993-94. It was a crucial period that saw the DECS busy struggling with the onslaught of dismemberment on one hand and seeking ways to adapt to the inevitable transformation of its mandates on the other.One other profound change in the countrys EFA programme was the organisational restructuring affecting EFA implementation mechanisms. As a natural consequence of the mainstreaming of the EFA programme, extraneous andad hocorganisational overlays that were meant to aid in pushing the PPA were deemed superfluous. Instead, long-established and permanent mechanisms and structures were relied on to avoid the paralysis normally associated with temporary committees. For instance, the EFA PPA called for the operation of a National Committee for EFA (NCEFA) and Regional EFA Committees (RCEFAs) for purposes of inter-sectoral and inter-agency co-ordination. However, subsequent EFA-related actions, being subsumed as they already were starting in 1995 under the MPBE, were instead coursed through the Social Development Committee of the NEDA and the Regional Development Councils, which carry membership rosters very similar to the NCEFA and the RCEFAs. Other specialised units established as called for by the PPA, such as the National Technical Secretariat (NTS) and the central and local project management teams, were likewise rendered unnecessary because EFA ceased to be a mere project like the myriad ones previously and currently implemented by the DECS. In fact, it became the basic objective of all activities within the Department. Through the MPBE, EFA had been inextricably embedded within the DECS fabric, and had become the overriding responsibility of all its units.The evolution of the Philippine EFA can be considered as an exemplar in vision assimilation and organisational adaptation. The concentration of the DECS on elementary, secondary and non-formal education and the birth of the MPBE had blurred the lines initially drawn between EFA UQPE literacy components and the regular activities of the DECS. EFA had transmutated from a distinct and special programme into an EFA that has become the overarching philosophy and integral strategy of basic education.3. Philippine EFA Thrusts on Early Childhood DevelopmentExpansion of Self-sustaining Community-based ECCDDuring the EFA decade, various community-based ECCD interventions were intensified and expanded with the end in view of reaching out to the remote and less privileged communities. These include, among others, the establishment of community-based pre-schools, day care centres, andbarangayhealth stations as well as the training of parent volunteers for home-based ECCD, midwives andbarangayhealth workers. This development partly but significantly resulted from the governments ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in July 1990 and its endorsement of the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children during the during the 1990 World Summit for Children. As its commitment to the World Summit, the Philippine government formulated and adopted the Philippine Plan of Action for Children (PPAC), which has become the basis for subsequent policies, programs and activities related to children. Significantly, the EFA Plan of Action, among others, served as a major input into the PPAC formulation.Moreover, the Ramos Administrations Social Reform Agenda (SRA) provided an added impetus and a geographical focus to the delivery of the various ECCD services, thereby ensuring that the poorest provinces of the country were reached. The Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (CIDSS), the flagship program of DSWD under the SRA that was launched in 1994, provided basic services, including ECCD, to the most needybarangays.The devolution of basic social services in 1992 in the light of the Local Government Code brought the management of the above-mentioned programs closer to the communities. In connection with this, capability-building, social mobilisation and advocacy to the LGUs have been intensified to ensure that priority is given to the delivery of basic social services. The UNICEF-assisted Fourth Country Programme for Children (CPC IV), which consists of various community-based social services, including ECCD, was designed.1. The Day Care Centre ProgrammeThe concept of day care services was originally started as feeding centres through the now abolished Bureau of Agricultural Extension, to whichmental feedingwas added. Large-scale expansion of the public day care system started only after the passage of the 1978 Barangay Day Care Law. There are also privately-run day care centres that are operated through NGOs and private entrepreneurs. The DSWD used to provide for the public day care centres, but after the devolution mandated under the Local Government Code of 1991, the responsibility has been placed in LGU hands. Government centres are designed to accommodate 30 children at a time, such that when morning and afternoon sessions are run, the total capacity is supposed to be 60. However, most of these centres operate at far less than full capacity. There has also been a modest breakthrough in the provision of day care services by factories for their female employees. In addition to the community-based centres, there are also centres located in the different government offices and government-owned and controlled corporations. To date, there are 20 of such offices and corporations both in the central and regional offices operating day care centres for their employees.Use of Innovative Approaches to Parent Education2. Parent Effectiveness Service (PES)This is a parent education programme that was implemented by the DSWD since 1972, but which was transferred to the LGUs by virtue of the devolution of central government functions. Since 1979, within the GOP-UNICEF CPC IV, PES has been the major component of the home-based parent education programme. It provides parents with child development information.The present World Bank-assisted Early Childhood Development Project (1998-2003) seeks to upgrade the PES program through the introduction of a Mother and Child book, which provides a permanent record of child growth and development from birth to his sixth birthday, and reproduction and distribution of an updated version of a parents manual on early child development. Further upgrading of the PES will also be carried out in the context of LGU sub-projects.While PES efforts had been concentrated in the past on mothers, a recent addition to this intervention is the (Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Parental Abilities) ERPAT, which is focused on the training of fathers so that they could fully appreciate their roles in child rearing. This initiative is currently being piloted in Regions V, VI and X.Promotion of Preparatory Education3. DECS Pre-school ProgrammeThis program was launched in 1993 and initially implemented in the 20 priority divisions for Countryside Development Programmes. It aims to provide 5-year-old children in the disadvantaged areas the stimulating experiences required to develop their social, motor and readiness skills, so that they would be prepared for socialisation before starting Grade I work. The programme is now on its 6thyear of implementation.4. Community-Based PreschoolsAs far back as 1971, DECS had already issued a policy document encouraging the school divisions to establish public preschool classes whenever possible. In January 1995, DECS conducted a survey to assess the preschools and one of the conclusions was that the Government could not afford to provide this service in all divisions. Thus, in March of the same year, DECS issued a statement on early childhood education that affirmed the importance of pre-schooling but also stated that preschools should be developed by the community to provide early childhood development experiences for 5-year old children before they enter Grade 1. Thus, the concept of community-based non-profit preschools, to be established through a collective partnership that includes DECS, NGOs and LGUs is being promoted.5. Early Childhood Experiences for Grade IAnother alternative developed by DECS is the integration of ECD into Grade 1. This project is being implemented by the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE). It started as a summer school experiment in 1991, consisting of a six-week programme for children 6.5 to 7 years of age. An evaluation of the programme showed that the dropout rate for summer preschool attendees was only 1 percent compared to the 15 percent among those who had no summer preschool exposure. Because of the positive results, DECS decided to continue this activity, but not during the summer considering the difficulty of getting teachers to teach and children to attend during the summer. Thus, DECS now has an 8-week programme (6 weeks of pre-schooling plus 2 weeks of transition) that is introduced during the initial 2 months of Grade 1. The ongoing World Bank-assisted Early Childhood Development Project (1998-2003) will finance the refinement and finalisation of the 8-week module and the modified Grade 1 curriculum containing it; design, production, printing and distribution of related teaching materials; and in-service training of teachers.6. Pre-school Service ContractingDECS initiated the Pre-school Service Contracting Scheme as an alternative delivery system. In 1997, pre-school classes were organised in the 5thand 6thclass municipalities, urban poor and resettlement areas (for those affected by natural calamities and armed conflict) through service contracting. Service providers are NGOs, private schools, LGUs and PTCAs. The general arrangement is that DECS will pay P250 per child per month for 6 months while the service providers will organise classes with 20-25 pupils per class as well as provide the salary of qualified teachers, school/classroom facilities, adequate instructional materials and basic school supplies. Funding comes from the DECS regular budget supplemented by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) from funds raised through the sale of military camps.7. Expansion of Entry to Grade 1 to Six Year-OldsIn school year 1995-96, DECS lowered the entry age for Grade I to six and a half years and subsequently to six years the following school year. To give itself time to plan effectively for teaching assignments, classrooms and textbooks, DECS, through Order No. 65, s. 1994, instituted the National School Enrolment Day (NSED) for children who shall have reached the age of six and a half (later reduced to six years) by the beginning of the school year. Beginning in January 30, 1995, the NSED has been held on the last Monday of January of every year.Accreditation of Private Preschool Programmes and Institutions8. Private Sector-Provided Pre-schoolingAnother important provider of preschools and kindergartens is the entrepreneurial side of the private sector (as contrasted with the essentially non-profit NGOs). These schools cater mostly to children of affluent families who understand the value of preschool education and are therefore not generally accessible to those most in need. A development related to this is that in 1989, DECS issued standards for the organisation and operation of pre-schools particularly with regard to the curriculum, staff requirements and physical environment. This was in response to the observed proliferation of pre-school curricular offerings and the increasing tendency of pre-schools then to focus on academic development rather than to cater to the needs of the child for his total development.Differentiated Approaches for Special Categories of Children9. Development of Children from Indigenous Cultural CommunitiesThe Philippine commitment to protect and promote the rights of children has been manifested through the passage in 1991 of Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, its amendments through Republic Act 7658, and their corresponding rules and regulations. R.A. 7610 calls for, among others, the protection, survival and development of children of indigenous cultural communities consistent with their customs and traditions. The DECS is also enjoined to develop and institute an alternative system of education for children of indigenous communities, which is culture-specific and relevant to the needs and existing situation in their communities. Moreover, the law provides that the delivery of basic services in health and nutrition be given priority by all concerned government agencies, giving due respect and recognition to the health practices, beliefs and customs of such communities.10. Development of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (CSAC)R.A. 7610 seeks to ensure the survival and protection of children in situations with on-going armed hostilities. The CSAC component of the UNICEF Country Programme for Children (CPC) ensures the delivery of basic services, provides physical and psychological recovery services, and protects and promotes the rights of children in situations of armed conflict. Among the activities undertaken under the program includes training of day care workers on ECCD and psychosocial interventions; production and distribution of kits on early childhood enrichment programme; conduct of parent effectiveness seminars; training of community health volunteers; health and nutrition classes for mothers; training on critical incident stress debriefing for parents and care givers; and provision of safe water and sanitary facilities.11. Expansion of the Special Education Programme (SPED)The Special Education Programme (SPED) of DECS was expanded to include the handicapped and gifted children in the 20 SRA provinces. A survey of school-age children with special needs was conducted in the school divisions of Luzon. The survey showed that 11.6 percent of the population in the Luzon area had special needs.Strengthening of Health, Nutrition and Other Allied Services12. Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (CIDSS)The CIDSS was launched in 1994 to be the governments flagship program under the SRA to respond to the unmet minimum basic needs (MBN) of poor families and communities nation-wide. CIDSS is a convergence of social welfare, health, education, early childhood care and development, and other basic services based on MBN. As of June 1998, the program has put up 1,089 day care centres nation-wide.13. School-based Integrated Health and Nutrition CampaignIn response to survey results indicating a high incidence of malnutrition, dental and respiratory illnesses among elementary pupils, the DECS intensified its health and nutrition campaign in the schools since 1995. Physical and dental examinations were conducted among elementary pupils, including Grade I entrants. De-worming of Grade I pupils in selected schools in NCR and SRA provinces is now annually conducted during National School De-worming Day. The School Feeding Program was also revitalised.In addition to the above, the DECS initiated the annual Search for the Outstanding School Implementor in the Integrated School Health and Nutrition Programme as a mechanism to enhance the campaign on the School-Based Integrated Health and Nutrition Programme.14. Teacher-Child-Parent ApproachOne of the innovative project components of the EFA programme in the Philippines is the Teacher-Child-Parent (TCP) Approach to strengthen health and nutrition education at the elementary level. Its selection was based mainly on the multivariate analysis of the pilot implementation in the ABCSDP areas and the 13 other criteria set by EFA. While in traditional teaching, relevant information are disseminated only to the child, the TCP approach ensures that the concepts learned by the child are relayed to the parents. Learning is reinforced by activities in school and at home, thus promoting congruency in the values learned by the child in the school and what is practiced by parents at home.15. Early Childhood Development Project (ECDP)Inter-agency collaboration, specifically among DECS, DSWD and DOH as well as the LGUs, in the delivery of ECCD services is further enhanced through the ECD Project, which is currently being implemented in Regions VI, VII and XII. The ECDP is a 6-year national plan covering the period 1998-2003, which outlines the broad policy direction to be pursued by the government for Filipino children from 0-6 years old. The project was formulated by an inter-agency steering committee and technical working group composed of representatives from the DECS, DSWD and the DOH. DOH takes care of the health and nutrition concerns, DSWD the psycho-social development of children from 3-6 years old, and DECS provides early childhood educational experiences to 6 year-olds through the Integration of Early Childhood Experiences in Grade 1 initiative. This is a programme wherein school experiences are provided during the eight weeks of the school year. Grade 1 pupils undergo varied stimulating activities that develop their social, motor and readiness skills before formally starting Grade 1 work. The project was established in 1995-1996 because of the lowering of the Grade 1 entry-age to 6 years.Socio-Cultural Adaptation of Curriculum, Materials & ApproachesAs mentioned previously, R.A. 7610 tasks DECS to develop and institute an alternative system of education for children of indigenous communities, which is culture-specific and is relevant to the needs and existing situation in their communities. The rules and regulations concerning children of indigenous cultural communities also provide that, whenever practicable, the dialect of the community be used as the medium of instruction.A special project has been initiated for the development of prototype ECCD materials that are culturally sensitive and appropriate to their clienteles beliefs and practices. In particular, the development of a module entitled "Home to School Transition for Children of Cultural Communities: Aeta Maternal and Early Childhood Development" has been undertaken.Single Agency to Co-ordinate Programs for ECCDThe Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) created in 1974 and headed by the DSWD Secretary, is the governments premier agency for childrens protection, welfare and development. CWC is responsible for co-ordinating and monitoring the implementation of all laws and programs for children, including the Philippine Plan for Action for Children in the 90s (PPAC). There is at present a pending Senate bill on ECCD that aims at strengthening the CWC to function as the National ECCD Co-ordinating Council.4. Philippine EFA Thrusts on Universal Quality Primary EducationEnhancing the Holding Power of SchoolsIn support of this policy, DECS issued a number of directives to intensively undertake specific interventions aimed at increasing the holding power of schools.1. DECS Order No. 24, s. 1995 called for definitive action to achieve the education mid-decade goals and targets for both participation and cohort survival rates:2. The completion of incomplete elementary schools by organising combination and/or multi-grade classes3. The intensification of thebalik-eskuwela (Back-to-School)campaign, in which every elementary school must retrieve at least 10 out-of-school children in its catchment area4. The attainment of zero dropout rate for Grades V and VI5. DECS Order No. 45, s. 1995, enjoined the various divisions to select the best teachers for Grade I classes to ensure that Grade I pupils will stay long enough in school to complete their elementary schooling.In addition, DECS implemented theDropout Intervention Program (DIP),which includes the provision of multi-level learning materials, parent-teacher partnership, school feeding, and provision of school supplies for selected pupil beneficiaries. DIP was piloted in SY 1990-1992 in 30 schools in Regions IV, V, VI, VIII and XII. In later years, the program was expanded to cover more schools and regions. Priority was given to provinces identified under the Social Reform Agenda (SRA). Grade I children in disadvantaged schools with high dropout rates benefited from the breakfast feeding component of the program.Using Alternative Teaching-Learning Delivery Modes1. Multi-grade and Mobile Teaching.The government has implemented and institutionalised alternative modes of delivering elementary education. Most notable among these is the establishment of multi-grade classes combined with mobile teaching. Multi-grade (MG) classes consist of 30 to 40 pupils of two or more grade levels handled by one teacher. In 1994, DECS, with funding assistance from UNICEF trained national and regional on MG Instruction as its initial step to institutionalise the programme.The UNDP-assisted Pupil Learning Enhancement Program undertakes direct support to multi-grade classes through the provision of supplementary pupil learning materials and encourages community support to the program. The project is focused on 4 selected provinces: Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga del Sur, North Cotabato, and Negros Oriental.A Multi-grade Demonstration School Project (MDSP) has been established to improve the overall performance of MG schools through the training of teachers and school officials and the provision of textbooks and instructional materials.To further ensure the institutionalisation of the MG programme DECS issued Department Order No. 96, s. 1997 setting the policies and guidelines in the organisation and operation of multigrade classes. As of 1999, the multigrade teaching programme is being implemented in all regions except the NCR.2. Television as an Educational Delivery ToolUsing TV sets to teach science was introduced in the public elementary schools in June 1995 through a program calledSineskwela. Produced by the ABS-CBN Foundation, said show is designed to supplement the elementary science curriculum. Hence, its viewing was made mandatory. Two more TV programs which were started in 1997 are currently being aired over ABS-CBN, namely:Hiraya Manawari, a fairy tale format program that injects values, andBayani, a show that teaches children the values of nationalism and heroism by recounting the exploits of national heroes. The Continuing Science Education via Television (CONSTEL) was also launched in 1995 to boost the development of science awareness among Filipinos. DECS Order No. 53, s. 1996, enjoined the institutionalisation of the use of CONSTEL tapes in elementary and secondary schools.Strengthening Home-School PartnershipThe following directives were issued with the objective of strengthening home-school partnership:1. DECS Order no. 126, s. 1990, calling for the national implementation of the Parent Learning Support System (PLSS);2. DECS Order No. 72, s. 1994, mandating the conduct of a Peoples Day in the DECS Regional Offices, Division Offices and District Offices as well as large schools (those with more than 100 teachers) every third Monday of the month, starting November 1994 from 8:30 to 12:00 as a special time for hearing the problems and concerns of teachers, parents and the public in general.In 1996, school-community partnership was strengthened to fight the drug menace and to promote various DECS programs on healthy environment. Parent volunteer brigades were organised to provide service assistance to schools.DECS also conducted the first parents education forum in Manila in August 1997. Attended by 1,000 parents, the forum was intended to consult parents regarding education directions and to solicit their participation in DECS programs. DECS also stressed the need for a strong partnership between DECS, parents and the community in the total education of their children.In December 1997, DECS held the first national forum for parents, children and educators in Cebu City with the theme "Parent-Child-Educator Partnership: Action Agenda for Quality Education". One objective of the forum was to strengthen parent-educator partnership through the organisation of a national federation of Parent-Teacher-Community Association.1. DECS sa Barangay(DECS in the Barangay) ProgrammeLaunched in 1996, this program is being implemented at thebarangaylevel with focus on the rural communities. The aim is to establish operational linkages with line agencies, local government units, local development councils and inter-sectoral consultative councils organised in everybarangay. The specific objectives of the Program are to increase literacy rate, achievement rate and participation rate; decrease dropout rate; provide allbarangaysand remotesitioswith adequate school facilities like books, desks, blackboards, classrooms and toilets; and makebarangayschools as learning centres or community centres of educational information.Emphasis on Higher-Level Thinking Skills2. Longer School Calendar and Increased Learning Time for Selected SubjectsIn 1992, the elementary curriculum was reviewed to identify areas for improvement in the short-term. As a result, the school calendar was lengthened from 185 to 200 days beginning in 1993. In addition, the daily student contact hours for critical subjects were increased. . In particular, learning time has been increased in English in Grades I and II from 60 to 80 hours; and Mathematics in Grades I to III from 40 to 60 minutes. Science and Health was introduced in Grades I and II and given a time allotment of 40 minutes. Significantly, the above-mentioned strategy was institutionalised by Congress through the passage of Republic Act No. 7797 in 1994.3. Leadership Enhancement for Effective Results ProjectThis research project was undertaken with the end in view of developing higher thinking skills among pupils. Orientation on the strategies in developing higher level thinking skills among children and on the use of the micro-teaching episodes inSibika at Kultura at Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sining(HEKASI) or Civics & Culture and Geography, History & Science for Grade I-VI served as springboard toward the attainment of the objective of said study. The micro-teaching episodes were tried out in selected divisions.Upgrading Teacher Competencies4. In-service Training through Learning Action CellsIn-service trainings in the different learning areas were conducted on a regular basis in the division and regional levels. District and school learning action cell (LAC) sessions were held to continuously improve the teachers managerial and instructional skills.5. Search for Most Effective SchoolsThe search for the most effective public elementary and secondary schools has contributed to enhancing the capabilities of administrators and teachers in the school system. Criteria used are (1) highly motivated learners; (2) competent and highly committed teachers; (3) capable and dynamic managers; (4) adequate and wholesome learning environment; (5) harmonious school-parent-community relationships.1. Philippine EFA Thrusts on Alternative Learning SystemsThe PPA subsumed the twin components of Eradication of Illiteracy (EOI) and Continuing Education and Development (CED) under an umbrella programme of innovation dubbed asStrengthening of Alternative Learning System(ALS). In the 1991 Jomtien Conference, this was recognised as the Philippines unique contribution or approach to the global EFA Movements ultimate objective of reaching out to those who have either been deprived of formal basic education or those who choose not to acquire their basic learning needs from the conventional learning or school system.Eradication of Illiteracy1. Eradication of Illiteracy in Selected Areas (EISA)A research and development project that addressed the low literacy levels among out-of-school youths, adults, women and girls 13 years and over in marginalized communities, which constrain attainment of personal development and participation in community development. The project also looked into solutions to the difficulty in identifying, locating and monitoring the learning progress of literacy clientele.2. Parent Education and Female Functional LiteracyAn expansion to five provinces of a similar one that was being implemented in 1990 in seven Area-Based Child Survival and Development (ABCSD) provinces. In these areas, as in the expansion sites, women and girls were more disadvantaged in terms of literacy than their male counterparts. The literacy intervention was expected to result in improved status of women in the community; increased participation in community development projects; and in the capability of women and parents to improve family life and conditions.Promotion of Continuing Education & Development3. Media Advocacy of Values and Informal EducationA deliberate attempt to maximise the positive role of media in the formation of values and consciousness, this initiative advocated themes and issues that enhance consciousness of the dignity of human life, mans responsibilities towards his fellowmen and his role as steward of society and the environment. Media advocacy was to reach children and adults nationwide via television, radio and print.4. Science for the MassesThis national project was conceived to be a principal vehicle for attaining scientific and cultural literacy among Filipinos. The targets are OSY, adults, students in formal schools and clientele of the alternative learning systems. They were to be reached via a network of science and technology museums and centrums, science communication through the intensification of science broadcasts (TV and radio) and publication of research and development outputs.5. Production of Indigenous Teaching Materials and Training on Productivity Enhancement of Economic Projects (PEEP) for Barangay FolksThe PEEP effort addressed the dearth of materials relating to productivity, production culture, self-development, decision-making, appropriate technology and other basic life skills that hamper education and training for economic productivity in the rural areas. It aimed to produce and disseminate modules on various life skill areas and train 950,000 rural and urban poor women in all regions using these indigenous learning materials.Implementation of Integrated Programmes6. Programme for the Development of Alter