In the past years, the basic education system in the Philippines has undergone extensive changes following the implementation of the Republic Act (RA) 10157, or the Kindergarten Act, and RA 10533, titled the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. Due to these reforms, the Department of Education (DepEd) needs to align its existing processes, especially the enrollment procedures of learners. That’s why the department issued another policy, the DepEd Order 10, series 2023, to apply additional changes to provisions that require revision, ensuring it complies with existing laws, rules, and regulations.
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DepEd Order 10, series 2023, conforms with its predecessor, containing rules and standards to support learners right to enroll in public schools. This policy also aims to promote the provision of free, accessible, quality, and relevant education. Furthermore, this issuance ensures eligible learners can enroll in private institutions offering basic education. However, learners should meet the conditions and submit the documents to enter their chosen education institutions.
What is DepEd Order 10
On May 9, 2023, the Department of Education promulgated DepEd Order (DO) 10, series (s.) 2023. It enclosed the amendment to DepEd Order 3, series 2018, or the Basic Education Enrollment Policy. This policy will help establish an effective and well-organized enrollment procedure in public and private schools, state/local universities, and colleges (SUCs/LUCs), including the schedule of conducting early registrations nationwide. DepEd issued the Basic Education Enrollment Policy for SY 2018-2018 and the upcoming school years.
The policy also contains rules and standards that aim to uphold learners’ rights in public schools after presenting minimum documentary requirements and promoting accessible, relevant, free, and quality education. Thus, amending this order is imperative to ensure learners’ rights to enroll in public and private educational institutions, given they comply with the requirements and meet other conditions required by the school based on prevailing laws and regulations.
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Amendment to DepEd Order 3, series 2018 (Basic Education Enrollment Policy)
Scope
The amendments enclosed in DepEd Order 10, series 2023, will guide DepEd offices and personnel tasked to handle the enrollment in public and private schools, SUCs/LUCs, that offer basic education and Alternative Learning System (ALS) centers. It will also guide learners, parents, and guardians on the enrollment procedures and attendant requirements. The Basic Education Enrollment Policy covers early registration, actual enrollment, Learner Information System (LIS) encoding, and reiteration of policies, such as collection of fees.
Amendments
- The beginning of the school year (SY) shifted from June to August in the past years. Hence, DepEd adjusted the schedule of conducting the early registration in Parapgrah V. A, which shall read as follows:
A. Early registration — for SY 2023-2024 of incoming Kindergarten, Grades 1, 5, 6, and 11 learners in public school should be enacted from May 10 to June 9, 2023.
- This order also reiterates the provisions in DO 3, s. 2018 that all incoming learners enrolling in Kindergarten and Grades 1, 7, and 11 in all public elementary and secondary schools should pre-register or partake in the early registration to enable DepEd to conduct essential preparations and adjustments of plans for the incoming SY 2023-2024. Meanwhile, incoming Grades 2-6, 8-10, and 12 learners from public schools are considered pre-registered. Therefore, these learners no longer need to partake in the early registration. Nonetheless, DepEd encourages private schools to organize their respective early registration activities in the same timeframe.
- All public elementary and secondary schools should update or encode daily in the Early Registration facility in the Learner Information System (LIS) using the school head/administrator account. Public elementary and secondary schools should use print or electronic copies of the Basic Education Enrollment Form (revised as of March 27, 2023) to guarantee necessary information in registering incoming Kindergarten, Grades 1, 7, and 11 learners, and other data.
- Public elementary and secondary schools may encode in the Early Registration facility the prospective enrollees for other grade levels (such as Grades 2-6, 8-10, and 12) based on the preceding school enrollment to get the overall picture of the anticipated enrollees for the upcoming enrollment.
- Early registration is preferably conducted via face to face transactions with the schools (if applicable). However, schools may continuously implement other means or options to collect early registration forms.
- As per DepEd Order 20, series 2018, or the Amendment to DepEd Order 47, series 2016, authorities of public and private schools should strictly enforce and implement the kindergarten cut-off age.
- Schools’ division superintendents and school heads should expedite the administration of advocacy campaigns within their respective jurisdictions to notify the general public. Additionally, they should encourage out-of-school children (OSC) and parents or guardians of potential learners to partake in the Early Registration for SY 2023-2024 by posting relevant materials in visible or noticeable areas and airing announcements on local televisions and radio broadcasting stations.
- All concerned should comply with this order as it shall take effect immediately following its approval, issuance, and publication on DepEd’s official website.
DepEd Order 10 Full Memo Download
To access and download the complete PDF of DepEd Order No. 10 , series of 2023, a direct link is available on this page. By clicking the download button below, you can easily obtain a copy of DepEd Order 10 in PDF format.
Full PDF DepEd 10 memo file: https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2023_010.pdf
Video: DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2023
As discussed in the video, the new DepEd Order released by the Department of Education was issued to amend the provisions under DepEd Order 3, series 2018, or the Basic Education Enrollment Policy. DepEd Order 10 enclosed the changes in the said policy, including the early registration procedure for enrollment in all public elementary and secondary schools. This order also reiterates the strict enforcement and implementation of the cut-off age for kindergarten learners.
Apart from that, DepEd encourages parents and guardians of out of school children to join the early registration for SY 2023-2024. Hence, school heads and division superintendents should conform to DepEd Order 10, series 2023, to streamline the implementation of basic education.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOOEpYIuKlU
Summary
Consequently, the issuance of DepEd Order 10, series 2023, will guide the personnel and officials of concerned offices in the department to facilitate the enrollment process for basic education. These amendments will ensure and protect the rights of all learners eligible to enroll in public and private schools nationwide. It will also guide personnel of schools offering basic education, including public and private institutions, SUCs/LUCs, and ALS centers.
Moreover, concerned stakeholders should adhere to these amendments, especially in implementing the early registration for incoming enrollees, including Kindergarten, Grades 1, 7, and 11 learners. The early registration process occurs before the opening of classes. Therefore, all DepEd offices and personnel should refer to the amendments in the policy to efficiently conduct the enrollment process in public and private schools.