Law Summary
Declaration of Policy
- State policy to protect and promote the right to quality basic education accessible to all.
- Basic education is free and compulsory at the elementary level; free at high school level.
- Includes alternative learning systems for out-of-school youth and adult learners.
- Aims to develop skills, knowledge, and values in learners to become productive, self-reliant, and patriotic citizens.
- Schools are the foundation of formal education system.
- Governance starts at national level; field offices translate policies into local programs.
- Encourages local initiatives and community involvement in education.
- Schools and learning centers empowered to decide on learners' best interest.
Purposes and Objectives
- Establish governance framework with authority, accountability, and responsibility.
- Define roles and provide resources to field offices.
- Position schools and learning centers as vehicles for national values and learner development.
- Ensure schools reflect community values and needs.
- Promote local initiatives for education improvement.
- Schools to offer comprehensive education and alternative learning equivalents.
Definition of Terms
- Alternative Learning System: Parallel learning including non-formal and informal education.
- Basic Education: Early childhood to high school plus alternative learning and education for those with special needs.
- Cluster of Schools: Group of contiguous schools grouped to improve outcomes.
- Formal Education: Structured, sequential learning requiring certification per level.
- Informal Education: Lifelong learning from daily life experiences.
- Integrated Schools: Complete basic education offered in one site with unified programs.
- Learner: Any individual seeking basic literacy and functional life skills.
- Learning Center: Venue/resources for out-of-school and adult education.
- Learning Facilitator: Person supervising and facilitating learning.
- Non-Formal Education: Organized learning outside formal school systems.
- Quality Education: Education meeting the needs of individuals and society.
- School: Educational institution for defined age groups, private or public.
- School Head: Person managing administration and instruction.
Principles of Shared Governance
- Recognizes specific roles and accountabilities at all levels in the education bureaucracy.
- Decision-making involves democratic consultation and feedback.
- Emphasizes accountability and transparency.
- Strengthens communication channels with other government agencies and stakeholders.
Governance
- Department of Education, Culture, and Sports renamed Department of Education (DepEd).
- DepEd vested with authority and accountability for access, equity, and quality in basic education.
- Arts, culture, and sports governed as provided elsewhere.
Powers, Duties, and Functions
- Secretary of Education exercises overall authority and supervision.
National Level:
- Formulate policies, plans, and standards; monitor learning outcomes; conduct research.
- Enhance employment status, competence, and welfare of personnel.
- Develop learner programs/projects.
- Assisted by undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, some from career service.
Regional Level:
- Regional directors oversee policy frameworks, plans, standards, monitoring, research, personnel management.
- Coordinate budget and staffing of divisions/districts.
- Approve school and learning center establishments.
Division Level:
- Schools division superintendents manage education development plans.
- Oversee personnel, resource management, school supervision, fund utilization, and standard compliance.
Schools District Level:
- Schools district supervisors provide professional and instructional support to schools and learning centers.
School Level:
- School heads lead mission, curriculum implementation, resource management.
- Manage school improvement and community relations.
- Responsible for accepting and reporting donations for school improvement.
- Promotions based on qualifications, merit, and performance.
- Appointment of key officials requires career executive service status.
Transfer of Cultural Agencies
- Cultural bodies (e.g., Komisyon ng Wikang Pilipino, National Historical Institute) attached to National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
- Arts and culture programs remain part of the school curriculum.
Abolition of the Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports
- All sports competition functions transferred to Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
- School sports and physical fitness programs remain in basic education curriculum.
- BPESS abolished; personnel detailed with PSC transferred accordingly.
Support and Assistance of Other Government Agencies
- Joint guidelines by DepEd and Department of Budget and Management for resource allocation to field offices.
- Ensure adequate, timely resources for personnel, supplies, and materials.
- Appropriate personnel policies to address unique teaching service conditions.
- Commission on Audit to consider organizational and operational characteristics in audit regulations.
Governance in ARMM
- Regional Education Secretary for ARMM exercises similar governance consistent with ARMM Organic Act and Republic Act No. 9054.
Rules and Regulations
- Secretary of Education to promulgate implementing rules within 90 days.
- Full implementation of shared governance principle mandated within 2 years.
Separability Clause
- Constitutional invalidity of any provision does not affect the remainder of the law.
Repealing Clause
- Laws, decrees, and regulations inconsistent with this Act are repealed or modified accordingly.
Effectivity Clause
- The Act takes effect 15 days after publication in two newspapers of general circulation.