Policy, purpose, and established context
- Successful completion of the NCEE is a prerequisite to admission to all post-secondary or professional degree programs in Philippine colleges and universities.
- NCEE examinations have been held in ASEAN countries since LOI No. 783 (December 15, 1978) authorized overseas examinations.
- The instructions are issued to address the need to give the NCEE in more locations abroad due to increasing overseas enrollment of both Filipino and foreign nationalities.
Coverage: countries, timing, and destinations
- The NCEE shall be administered in countries other than within the ASEAN starting September 1984.
- The initial examination sites shall include, in addition to the capitals of ASEAN countries, New York City and Los Angeles (United States), Paris (France), and Lagos (Nigeria).
- The “specific sites” are determined through an approval process by the Minister based on estimated demand.
Administration and who conducts exams
- The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports shall administer the NCEE overseas through the National Educational Testing Center (NETC).
- The examinations may be administered by Ministry staff with the assistance of staff members of the foreign service.
- The examinations may also be administered by duly authorized foreign schools or other appropriate institutions.
- Any foreign schools or appropriate institutions used to administer the examinations must be approved by the Minister.
Approval, demand-based site selection
- The Minister of Education, Culture and Sports shall approve the specific examination sites.
- Site approval shall be based on estimated demand.
Examination fees and how fees are handled
- An examination fee shall be charged each examinee for the 1984 examination in the amount of US$35.00.
- The examination fee may be changed in subsequent years only with the approval of the Minister.
- Receipts from examination fees shall be held in trust for the Ministry-NETC by the Philippine Mission at the examination site or at a convenient branch of the Philippine National Bank.
- Fees shall be used to pay all expenses incident to the conduct of the examination abroad, subject to the provisions of Section 40 of P.D. No. 1177.
Implementation rules and responsible offices
- The Ministry, through the NETC, administers the NCEE abroad.
- The Minister shall issue guidelines to implement these instructions.
- Guidelines shall be issued by the Minister on recommendation of the NETC.
- The instructions are directed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of the Budget for coordinated implementation.