The Department of Education (DepEd) – Philippines believes that accessible and quality basic education is possible with the shared responsibility of School Heads, teachers, parents, learners, Local Government Units (LGUs), and the entire community. With that said, the department circulated the DepEd Order 26, series 2022, to promote the shared governance principle in making decisions based on the active participation of school stakeholders.
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This policy provides implementing guidelines to schools about the founding of the School Governance Council (SGC), from its structure, composition, and membership to the roles and responsibilities of every SGC member. These guidelines should be administered nationwide in all public elementary and secondary schools to promote fair, accessible, and quality education.
What is DepEd Order 26
On June 17, 2022, the Department of Education issued the DepEd Order 26, series 2022, or the Implementing Guidelines on the Establishment of School Governance Council (SGC). In agreement with Republic Act (RA) No. 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, this policy aims to bolster the function of stakeholders and Local Government Units (LGUs). To guarantee the efficient delivery of educational services, partners of DepEd should provide learners with accessible and quality education, uphold children’s rights, and promote respect and well-being in the learning environment.
Hence, the SGC should perform as a structure for shared governance and feedback mechanisms at the school level. Furthermore, the processes and procedures enclosed in this policy will help all public elementary and secondary schools organize their respective SGCs. The SGC will also serve as the school’s overall coordinating body of all associations, committees, and organizations, as stated in the principles of shared governance in RA 9155. Most of all, the SGC will assist in reinforcing the enactment of School-Based Management.
Implementing Guidelines on the Establishment of School Governance Council
General Purpose of the School Governance Council
As stated in DepEd Order 26, the SGC should operate as a structure for shared governance and a feedback mechanism at the school level. Nonetheless, the SGC should not govern the school and not have a distinct and separate judicial personality aside from the institution. Moreover, the SGC should not replace existing school associations/committees/organizations, including the Parents-Teacher Association (PTA), Supreme Pupil/Student Government, Alumni Association, School Planning Team (SPT), and Child Protection Committee (CPC).
Functions of the SGC as a Structure for Shared Governance
- Function as a collective and consultative body regarding school plans, activities, programs, and strategic directions
- Function as the overall coordination body that will unify, harmonize, and collaborate the work of various school committees
- Function as a platform that will foster the Bayanihan spirit between stakeholders to assist the school and promote active participation in implementing DepEd policies and programs
Functions of the SGC as a Feedback Mechanism
- Assist schools in developing and maintaining their feedback system through reinforcing practices that promote stakeholder participation.
- Help schools establish transparency in their performance and operations, especially in programs and resource management.
- Propose ways to enhance the quality of basic education services and school performance.
Specific Functions of the School Governance Council
- Actively engage in formulating and implementing the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and other DepEd activities, programs, and projects
- Collaborate with the School Planning Team (SPT) and project teams on the feedback and satisfaction of learners and stakeholders regarding the physical and financial accomplishment of SIP and Annual Implementation Plans (AIP)
- Propose relevant local school projects and programs to boost support and relationships with the Local Government Unit (LGU)
- Administrate meetings within the school premises or such places to harmonize proposed and existing activities, programs, and projects through the School Head
- Submit to Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) and LGUs the SGC semi-annual accomplishment report, including an action plan with the approval of the School Head
- To inform stakeholders, the SGC should promote the dissemination of relevant school data and information
- Administer orientation and advocacy activities about the benefits and value of education, children’s rights, and corresponding roles of parents, community, industry, and LGUs
- Attend relevant school meetings and assemblies
- Prepare reports on any irregularities or violations of the implementing guidelines of this policy.
- Conduct and attend school-level training to promote awareness of its role in effectively supervising school planning and usage of resources.
- Collaborate with Child Rights in Education Desk (CREDe), Child Protection Unit (CPU), and other similar DepEd organizations to develop pertinent interventions, programs, and projects that uphold children’s rights.
- Collaborate with the Child Protection Committee (CPC) to create relevant projects, programs, and interventions that support the functions of SGC to guarantee that all actions and decisions consider the interests of children.
- Collaborate with the School Planning Team (SPT) to create relevant projects, programs, and interventions that help fulfill its role in developing and implementing AIP and SIP.
SGC Structure
The image below shows the basic organizational structure of SGC, consisting of a Designated Co-Chairperson, Elected Co-Chairperson, Secretary, and Council Members. Also, the School Head should choose a Designated Co-Chairperson as the school representative. Then, select the Elected Co-Chairperson within the external stakeholders via voting.
Composition of SGC Members
The SGC should have four (4) ex-officio members, consisting of the following internal and external school stakeholders, designated Co-Chairperson, and representatives from the student government, PTA, and faculty members or its counterpart. A school representative chosen by the School Head should also manifest leadership competencies enclosed in Domain 6 of DepEd Order 42, s. 2017, to undertake the position of Co-Chairperson.
Roles and Responsibilities of SGC Officers
For Designated/Elected Co-Chairperson:
- Collaborative with SGC in leading the development or recognizing activities, projects, and programs that bolster school improvement
- Devise meeting agenda in deliberation with the Elected Co-Chairperson and other council members
- Call and lead SGC meetings in the absence of the Elected Co-Chairperson
- Sign all SGC documents, communications, and notices of meetings
- Ensure that all meetings meet a quorum
- Attend SGC meetings and cast a vote for matters requiring consensus decision
- Institute and answer all communications that require the attention of the council.
- The Co-Chairperson should be available to a broader school community for consultation and sharing information.
- Consider SGC’s official capacity as a Designated Co-Chairperson whenever representation is essential in affairs, events, and occasions.
- Apply general supervision on all activities relevant to the functions of the council.
- Entrust other necessary functions
- Enact other duties and functions applicable to the council.
For Secretary:
- Conclude the agenda of meetings prepared by the Co-Chairperson
- Safekeep all the records of the SGC
- Devise and file all SGC documents and communications
- Prepare SGC’s quarterly reports of activities to school stakeholders and issue them to the School’s Transparency Board and School Report Card (SRC)
- Preside over the preparations of SGC activities quarterly reports and publish them in the School’s Transparency Board and SRC
- Publish notice of meetings to all SGC members a week before the programmed time
- Partake in SGC meetings and cast a vote on matters that require consensus decision
- Give legal copies of the minutes of the meeting to all council members within two (2) weeks after conducting it
- During meetings, record the attendance of council members
- Fulfill other duties and functions assigned by the Elected Co-Chairperson
Roles and Responsibilities of All SGC Members
For Voting Council Members:
- Regularly attend meetings
- Promote, support, and participate in SGC activities
- Raise concerns regarding the needs of learners and other stakeholders, including those outside of the school bearing on school processes and services
- Represent their association/committee/organization in the council.
- Suggest meeting agenda for consideration of the Elected Co-Chairperson
- Attend SGC meetings and cast a vote on matters that require consensus decision
- Expedite the engagement and linkages of other stakeholders supporting the school’s priority improvement areas
- Promote the SGC activities to the internal and external stakeholders of the school
- Fulfill other duties and functions designated by the Elected Co-Chairperson
For Non-voting Council Members:
- Regularly partake in meetings
- Support, promote, and engage in SGC activities
- Raise issues and necessities of learners and other stakeholders, as well as those outside the school that bear on school services and processes.
- Recommend agenda of meetings for consideration of the Elected Co-Chairperson.
- Streamline the linkages and participation of other stakeholders that aid the priority improvement areas of the school.
- Endorse the activities of SGC to the internal and external stakeholders of the school.
- Execute other functions and duties the Elected Co-Chairperson designate
Procedures on SGC Creation
For Schools with existing SGCs
- The School Head should conduct orientation and discuss the policy to the school’s existing SGC.
- The existing SGC should comply with the current policy to prepare and implement it in the upcoming school year (SY).
- The SGC should prepare for the policy implementation for the following SY.
- If the existing SGC’s name did not abide by the policy naming guidelines, renamed it for the following SY.
- The newly-appointed SGC may invite former council members to join the activities, adhering to the policy guidelines for expanded membership.
For Schools with no existing SGCs
- The School Head should orient the school’s internal stakeholders regarding the policy.
- The School Head should determine four (4) ex-officio members who represent the student government, PTA, and faculty club or its counterpart.
- Through a deliberative and consensus process, four (4) ex-officio members should choose the council members who will complete the SGC composition.
- The SGC should prepare for the collection of officers, including the Co-Chairperson and Secretary.
- The SGC should elect officers from its council members. During the elections, exclude the Designated Co-Chairperson from the nominations. Nonetheless, all council members have the right to vote.
- After completing the council members, the school may formally introduce the SGC.
DepEd Order 26 Full Memo Download
If you want to download the full memo PDF file of DepEd Order No. 26, series of 2022, you can check out the downloadable file link below. direct link on this page. Simply click the download button below and get a copy of DepEd Order 26 in PDF format.
Full PDF DepEd 26 memo file – https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/DO_s2022_026.pdf
Video: D.O #26 s. 2022 (IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES IN ESTABLISHMENT OF SGC-School Governance Council)
To learn more about DepEd Order 26, watch the video below:
As discussed in the video, the DepEd Order 25, series 2022 encloses the Implementing Guidelines in the Establishment of the SGC. This policy conforms with RA 9155, which emphasizes that all units in the education sector should help improve learning outcomes. Hence, the foundation of the SGC in every school is vital.
Summary
By issuing the DepEd Order 26, series 2022, educational institutions must establish the School Governance Council (SGC) as a shared governance and feedback mechanism. The officers and members of the SGC should adhere to these guidelines and fulfill their role to ensure the efficient provision of educational services. Therefore, public elementary and secondary schools throughout the Philippines should establish their SGCs.