To: Deputy Ministers
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Cultural Agency Directors
Chief of Service and Heads of Units/Centers
Schools Superintendents
Vocational School Superintendents/Administrators
Head Executive Assistant
Chiefs of Divisions
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities

1. It is the policy of this Ministry to protect and preserve the integrity of the NCEE as an examination at all times. It therefore directs all personnel of this Ministry and the other members of the educational community to faithfully implement this policy.
2. Examination results may be deemed irregular on the basis of the following:
   1. “Statistically improbable results,” that is, unusual clustering of test scores in the higher percentile bracket in the distribution as manifested by the performance of the examinees during the year in question as compared with the performance in previous years; and/or
   2. Prima facie evidence of irregularities such as mass cheating, coaching by examiners and proctors, leakage, non-standardized procedures in the test administration and other forms of irregularities.
3. To investigate each case of observed irregularities, an Investigating Team is hereby constituted, composed of the following:
   1. Regional Director or his representative – Chairman
   2. Division/City Schools Superintendent or his representative – Member
   3. Representative from NISA – Member
4. Upon advice from the National Educational Testing Center (NETC) of observed or reported irregularities in a particular testing center, the Regional Director concerned shall constitute an Investigating Team and report its creation to the Minister, c/o the Executive Director, NETC. A Regional Director may, likewise, initiate the creation of an Investigating Team, based on his appreciation of reports of irregularities, in which case he shall inform the Ministry of the action he is taking.
5. The Investigating Team shall perform the following functions:
   1. Conduct immediately the proper investigation; and
   2. Formulate conclusions and submit recommendations to the Ministry, including actions to be taken on the school and/or personnel involved.
6. An Investigating Team is given one month from its creation to conduct its investigation. The conclusions and recommendations should be immediately submitted to the Ministry within fifteen (15) days after the termination of the investigation. MECS regional directors, division/city schools superintendents and heads of institutions are to be immediately informed of any MECS’ decision on the matter.
7. A Certification of Authority to Enrol will be issued by the NETC to students whose NCEE Report Cards have been withheld due to aforementioned reasons. This Certificate will enable the student to enroll PROVISIONALLY in a degree program for a period of one school year pending receipt of the result of his NCEE, since qualification for a regular college status requires the passing of the NCEE within the school year. Students enrolled provisionally may take the Special NCEE administered on the last Sunday of June or the Regular NCEE administered on the last Sunday of September or at any special date set by the NETC for a re-test.
8. Universities and colleges are authorized to admit in their degree program students with the NETC Director’s Certification of Authority to Enrol, copy inclosed. The word PROVISIONAL should be stamped on the enrolment credentials of such students to distinguish them from students who have presented NCEE Report Cards.
   1. Universities and colleges are required to demand from each student concerned his NCEE Report Card within the school year of his admission in the degree program.
   2. Students with a rating below the NCEE cutoff score specified for the year may not be allowed to continue pursuing degree program.
9. This Order reiterates that school officials, teachers and students involved in the administration of the NCEE are subject to sanctions provided by law and its implementing rules and regulations as embodied in Sec. IV pertaining to Disciplinary Action of MECS Order No. 9, s. 1983, “Policies on the National College Entrance Examination,” to wit:
   1. MECS officials and other government personnel and employees who, in the performance of their official duties in connection with the administration of the NCEE, are found guilty of negligence or who commit infractions of the law, rules and regulations, such as initiating or tolerating any form of cheating which adversely affects the integrity of the test, shall be dismissed from the service and the students debarred from taking the NCEE.
   2. Colleges and universities found willfully violating any policy or through negligence or laxity cause the violation of any of the preceding policies shall be penalized. Such penalty shall range from reprimand to:
      1. Revocation of government recognition;
      2. Cancellation of permit;
      3. Confiscation of permit or recognition bond; and
      4. Penalties as provided for in the Manual of Regulation for Private Schools.
10. Chief Examiners, Examiners, Proctors and the personnel designated to administer the NCEE, who are found involved in irregularities will be placed under preventive suspension and charged accordingly.
11. Strict observance and compliance of all concerned with this Order is enjoined.

Incl.: As stated
Reference: MECS Order No. 9, s. 1983
Allotment: 1-3-4—(D.O. 1-76)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
EXAMINATION
OFFICIALS
RULES AND REGULATIONS
STUDENTS
TEACHERS

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