Scope of Application
- Applies to all public elementary and high schools throughout the Philippines.
Definitions
- Religion: Institutionalized beliefs, attitudes, and practices.
- Values Education: Integration of universally accepted and Filipino moral, social, cultural, and political values into the curriculum.
- Optional Religious Instruction: Religion classes for students whose parents or guardians request such instruction.
- This instruction is optional for parents/guardians but mandatory for schools upon request.
- Regular Class Hours: Scheduled instructional periods.
- Class Period: The scheduled length of one instructional session.
Designation and Authorization of Teachers
- Religious teachers must be designated and authorized by their respective religious authorities.
- They must submit authorization papers and request time allocation to the school principal.
- Regular teachers may teach religion during free periods if authorized by the religious authority.
Eligibility and Application for Religious Instruction
- Only students with written consent from parents or guardians may attend religion classes.
- Parents/guardians must complete and submit an application form requesting specific religious instruction.
Contents of Application
- Must specify the religion to be taught and preferred schedule for classes.
Class Size and Scheduling
- Religious instruction occurs only during regular hours, not before/after school or during recess.
- Classes must not exceed forty students per religion and level.
- If exceeding, the principal shall split classes after consulting religious authorities.
- Scheduling considers the number of available religion teachers per denomination.
Duration of Classes
- Minimum of eighty minutes weekly spread over two to three sessions.
- Class periods must total at least ninety minutes weekly.
Distinction Between Religious Instruction and Values Education
- Religious instruction and values education are separate subjects.
- They require separate class hours and cannot occur simultaneously.
- If scheduling is difficult, at least two values education slots can be allocated for religion with agreement.
Administrative Sanctions
- Violations by principals, school heads, or teachers lead to disciplinary action after due process.
Dissemination
- The provisions of this Order must be promptly and widely disseminated upon issuance.