Back in the day, everything was manually done, making it impossible to multitask. Before the internet, people only rely on paper and pen to document everything. However, technological advancement caused many to perform their tasks digitally, while some even depended on it to generate profit. While paper won’t become obsolete and some jobs still require physical work, it is crucial to keep up with the trend to surpass the challenges brought by the modern world. That’s why the Philippine government launched the Department of Education Computerization Program (DCP) with its revised guidelines enclosed in DepEd Order 16, series 2023.
The policy is in line with the DepEd MATATAG framework and the State’s policy, which aims to create, maintain, and aid in providing an adequate, complete, and integrated education system that meets the needs of Filipino people. True to its mandate, DepEd is constantly making relevant steps towards accessible education for all and expediting the delivery of basic education services and facilities. DepEd Order 16 consists of revised guidelines for DCP to improve the department’s program and ensure its proper implementation.
What is DepEd Order 16
On July 18, 2023, the Department of Education issued the DepEd Order (DO) 16, series (s.) 2023, which enclosed the Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of the Department of Education Computerization Program (DCP). It aims to provide DepEd offices and public schools with suitable, equitable, and quality technologies that promote enhanced teaching, learning, governance, and operation processes, policies, programs, and practices to address the challenges of the modern era. This policy also consists of mechanisms, monitoring, and evaluation processes, guiding the DepEd Central Office (CO), regional offices (ROs), and schools’ division offices.
The concerned offices should ensure the objectives of DCP are efficiently and effectively implemented and conform with the Department’s MATATAG: Bansang Makabata, Batang Makabansa framework. Furthermore, it must be consistent with the State’s policy to initiate, maintain, and assist in providing a complete, sufficient, and integrated education system suited to people’s needs. Nonetheless, this policy won’t restrict DepEd from issuing new computerization projects and programs and repeals DO 78, s 2010 and other preceding issuances that contradict its provisions.
Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of the Department of Education Computerization Program
Scope
DepEd Order 16, series 2023, provides the revised guidelines on the implementation of the DCP, which aims to give DepEd offices and public schools appropriate technologies that will facilitate enhanced teaching, learning, governance, and operation processes.
Policy Statement
Through the DCP, DepEd aims to achieve excellence and transform education and public service delivery. Thus, the department promulgated this policy, containing the revised guidelines to provide quality and globally competitive education founded on a pedagogically sound curriculum comparable with international standards. The DCP will provide the necessary software, hardware, training, and applicable program support to DepEd offices and public schools to realize the department’s initiative and plan.
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Procedures
Objectives of DCP
The DepEd Computerization Programs include the following objectives but are not limited to:
- Provide complete and quality computer laboratory packages to all public schools in the Philippines
- Provide smart TV packages to all public schools
- Provide necessary and relevant software, hardware, training, and other program support to all DepEd personnel, including the teaching and non-teaching staff.
- Provide Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure and systems in DepEd offices and public schools.
- Improve and bolster the ICT competencies of teachers, learners, school leaders, and non-teaching personnel, including capacity building to ensure ICT infrastructure and systems’ proper utilization.
Monitoring and Evaluation
With the issuance of this policy, DepEd created the Program Management Committee (PMC) to ensure the efficient delivery of DCP. The department also created the Technical Working Group (TWG) to assist the PMC. These two will monitor and evaluate the program and its implementation regularly. The PMC-TWG will also coordinate and seek assistance from the Regional and Division offices to determine possible areas of improvement and guarantee the system’s effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and relevance.
Apart from that, the PMC-TWG will conduct periodic gathering of feedback regarding the policy’s implementation from concerned stakeholders, both internal and external. Afterward, the feedbacks are submitted for policy review if necessary. The program’s progress monitoring, assessment, and evaluation aims to evaluate the implementation’s efficiency. Hence, all monitoring activities may be conducted using appropriate and available technology. It involves the conduct of a surprise or on-the-spot inspection in designated warehouses to determine the condition and physical inventory of stored goods.
After performing a needs-based assessment, all units tasked to monitor the project must provide applicable correction of practices not enclosed in these guidelines and recommend specific interventions to resolve issues/problems. However, those that require resolution from higher authorities need immediate referral via proper channels for appropriate action. Meanwhile, the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration will supervise the implementation of DCP.
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PMC Organization and Responsibilities
- 1. The PMC consists of the following:PMC-Chairperson – Undersecretary in charge of the Information and Communications Technology Services (ICTS)
- 2. PMC-Vice Chairperson – Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching representative
- 3. One (1) representative each from the members of the Executive Committee of the following strands:
- Administration
- Operations
- Curriculum and Teaching
- Finance
- Procurement
Moreover, the PMC must assume the following activities:
Supervise the deployment of the DCP
Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the DCP
Recommend improvements for the DCP
Established the Technical Working Group (TWG) to aid in the implementation of the DCP, composed of one (1) representative from the following strands:
- Administration
- Operations
- Curriculum and Teaching
- Finance
- Procurement
Effectivity/Transitory Provision
The issuance of this order repeals inconsistent provisions specified in DO 78, s. 2010, titled the “Guidelines on the Implementation of the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP)” and other preceding issuances contradicting this policy. DepEd Order 16, series 2023, must also be registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the University of the Philippines (UP) Law Center, Up Diliman, Quezon City.
DepEd Order 16 Full Memo Download
To access and download the complete PDF of DepEd Order No. 16, 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 16 in PDF format.
Full PDF DepEd 16 memo file: https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2023_016.pdf
Summary
To sum up, DepEd Order 16, series 2023, will benefit DepEd teaching and non-teaching personnel. The policy provides revised guidelines to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP). It will guide concerned internal and external stakeholders in implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the progress of DCP implementation.
Through this order, DepEd offices and public schools will also receive technologies that will assist them in enhancing teaching, learning, governance, and processing operations, programs, policies, and practices to help them overcome the challenges of modern times. Therefore, all concerned offices, DepEd personnel, and other stakeholders should disseminate and adhere to the provisions of this order.