DepEd Orders (DOs) are pivotal in setting educational policies and regulations that aim to improve the learning environment and safeguard the welfare of all stakeholders involved. Geared towards educators, non-teaching staff, students, and parents, DepEd Orders are highly significant as they establish standards and protocols for Philippine educational institutions. These documents offer a detailed overview, starting with the classification and authority behind the orders, followed by their contents and systematic numbering system.
Exploring these orders provides a deep understanding of the importance of each series within a DepEd Order, the approval process involved, and the effective dissemination and monitoring of educational directives. They serve as informative guides and essential resources for all individuals engaging with the Philippine educational system.
Overview
The primary role of the Department of Education (DepEd) is to ensure all Filipinos can access impartial and quality basic education. As mandated by law, DepEd must supervise and control the country’s basic education system by setting standards and regulations for all educational institutions and providing various kinds of funding to public and private schools. That’s why the department issues DepEd Orders (DOs) effective throughout the Philippines. Read on to learn more about these DepEd issuances, their benefits, effectiveness, and contents.
Since managing a country’s education system is complex, these issuances are released and circulated to establish consistency and order throughout the department. A DepEd Order (DO) is created and signed by the department and its authorized signatories, aiming to address a specific issue in the industry. Furthermore, a DO may contain guidelines, criteria, regulations, or procedures to facilitate the effective implementation of the policy nationwide. Thus, DOs are significant in running the department, education institutions, and learning centers.
What is a DepEd Order
A DepEd Order (DO) is an issuance of policies, procedures, guidelines, regulations, or information signed or released by those who hold the highest position in the department’s Central Office, such as the DepEd Secretary and other authorized officials under its directive. It’s an established DepEd policy consisting of related procedures, rules, or instructions to implement a policy, which is vital. These orders are generally permanent compliances and remain effective until amended, revoked, or rescinded.
Benefits
The following may benefit from the issuance of a DepEd Order (DO):
- Provide specific implementation and regulation guidelines to schools, their personnel, and other stakeholders in the education industry
- Protect and promote the rights of learners, teaching and non-teaching personnel
- Ensure the provision of accessible, fair, and quality education in the Philippines
Who is it for?
All employees in the department must follow the implementation stated in the DO to ensure order and consistency in all branches of DepEd nationwide. Once a DO is effective, it mandates, obliges, or regulates the behavior and actions of DepEd personnel and other stakeholders. An effective DO also creates obligations and rights to promote or facilitate the mandates of DepEd. Thus, a DO may apply to all DepEd personnel, teaching and non-teaching school staff, and other individuals working in educational institutions or learning centers in the Philippines.
Effectivity of Issuances
Generally, a DO is issued for long-term implementation or permanently given the provision that it’s not revoked, rescinded, or amended by another DO. The scope of a DO often covers a wide range of issues in the department for national implementation. It helps address an issue within the department or the education sector, affecting different stakeholders, including learners, students, teachers, non-teaching staff, DepEd personnel, and parents/guardians.
Signing Authorities
DepEd Orders are issued and signed by the Secretary from the DepEd Central Office, serving as the President of the Philippines alter ego. Apart from that, other signing authorities must approve it before implementing DepEd Order issuances. For instance, the curriculum and instruction of DepEd Order are presented to the Assistant Secretary for Programs and Projects for 1st endorsement.
Next, the Undersecretary for Programs and Projects will approve it for 2nd endorsement. Then, the DepEd Secretary will be the Final Approving authority. The duly designated Officer-in-Charge may also sign a DO for remarks.
What is a Series in a DepEd Order?
DepEd policies often come with a series (s.) written as “DepEd Order (DO) No. 001, s. of 2024.” A DO contains a series, which is added for numbering purposes since issuances must include the year it was issued. Hence, it’s called the “series.” Also, a DO is consecutively numbered with the first of each class, or a DO issued in the same year must start with “001.”
Basic Contents of DepEd Order
To justify its issuance and ensure its proper implementation, a DepEd Order must contain the following contents:
- A letterhead with the agency’s name and DepEd official seal (in Old English Text MT)
- Official Date when the Secretary or the authorized official signed the policy
- Control Number with the series (s.) and year the DO circulated
- Concerned parties, implementers, and advocates, specifically DepEd/school officials and other stakeholders
- Rationale or brief background about the issue addressed by the policy
- Scope of policy coverage
- Definition of Terms
- Policy statement
- Objects of the issued policy
- Statement on rescinding, revoking, or amending precursor provisions included in the earlier approved DO
- Publication, effectivity, transition, and interim measures
- Closing statement and enclosure regarding strict adherence of all concerned in the said policy
- Issuing authorities with signature attached to the DO
- Statement on procedures, monitoring, and evaluation
- Relevant DepEd issuances as references for research
How to find DepEd Orders online
If you’re wondering how to find the prevailing DepEd Orders (DOs) online, follow the steps below:
Via DepEd Official Website
- Visit the official website of DepEd – Philippines at https://www.deped.gov.ph/.
- Click Resources on the upper tab of the main page.
- From the drop-down menu, hover your cursor on Issuances and click DepEd Orders to the recent DOs issued by the department.
Via LLC DepEd
- Go to the official website of the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) DepEd at https://lcc.deped.gov.ph/.
- Hover your cursor on the National Literacy Information System (NLIS) tab and click Literacy Laws and Policies.
3. On the Literacy Laws and Policies page, select DepEd Policies from the options.
4.Then, the list of DepEd Orders will appear, including its details. Tap the Next button on the DepEd Orders section to check all the entries.
Sample DepEd Orders
- DepEd Order 21: Implementing Guidelines for Brigada Eskwela
- Deped Order 44 : Educational Programs and Services for Learners with Disabilities
- DepEd Order 7 Series 2023: Guidelines on Recruitment, Selection and Appointment in the Department of Education
- DepEd Order 37 Series of 2022: Suspension of Classes Due to Disasters and Calamity
- DepEd Order 40 Series of 2012: Child Protection Policy Philippines
- DepEd Order 49 Series of 2022: Promotion of Professionalism in Workplace
Video: DEPED ORDER NO. 49 s. 2022 ||TEACHERS TO KEEP BOUNDARIES WITH LEARNERS
To understand what is a DepEd Order, please watch the video below:
As stated in the video, the department issued the DepEd Order (DO) No. 49 s. 2022, preventing teachers from making friends with learners outside the school setting. This amendment promotes professionalism amongst teachers, DepEd personnel, and other stakeholders to ensure the delivery of basic education programs and services. Through this policy, the concerned parties will have guidelines on how to keep their boundaries from learners by maintaining a student-teacher relationship. Thus, a DO can help address various DepEd issues while ensuring the welfare of learners.
Summary
In summary, DepEd Orders (DOs) in the Philippines will benefit those in the education sector, including teaching and non-teaching school personnel and those in the department’s Central, Regional, and Division offices. These issuances provide guidelines, instructions, criteria, or procedures to concerned parties to establish appropriate rules and regulations. With these orders, various issues in the department will also get solutions, especially concerning the welfare and safety of learners. Therefore, we encourage schools, teachers, and parents/guardians to be aware of effective DepEd Orders (DOs).