To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
School Superintendents
Heads of Private Elementary and Secondary Schools
All Others Concerned

1. The Book Publishing Industry Development Act (RA 8047), approved in June 1995, provides for the phasing in of private sector publishers to assume DECS’ elementary and secondary textbook publication and distribution functions within a three year period. DECS has started this process by issuing a textbook call last December for the private sector to submit new textbooks and teachers manuals by August 15, 1996. These materials shall be for Grades I-III and High School I-II and are intended for use in the public schools starting SY 1998-1999. RA 8047 also provides that DECS shall be responsible for testing, evaluating, selecting and approving the manuscripts or books to be submitted by publishers for multiple adoption.
2. This DECS Order pertains to the training of textbook evaluators under a new textbook evaluation system which was developed with DECS and private sector collaboration. A DECS Bulletin shall be issued to all concerned outlining this new textbook evaluation system after due consultation is made with the National Book Development Board as required by RA 8047.
3. In preparation for the textbook evaluation process by DECS, textbook evaluators throughout the country must be identified and trained immediately in preparation for the evaluation of all materials received from the private sector by August 15. The training of evaluators shall be done by regional clusters following the groupings and schedules in Annex 1 and number and breakdown of participants in Annex 2 of this DECS Order. A two-day live-in training is proposed for each of these trainings which shall be conducted by senior officials from the DECS Bureaus of Elementary and Secondary Education and other relevant DECS units.
4. DECS Regional Offices are hereby directed to immediately identify and tap qualified individuals from both the public and private sectors to serve as evaluators for this Textbook Call and undergo training (see Annex 3 for eligibility criteria for an individual to be considered as a textbook evaluator).
5. Necessary and allowable expenses for the training of evaluators from DECS such as for travel and registration fees for materials, board and lodging of trainors and participants shall be chargeable against their respective Office’s budget for INSET or other available source. The regions and divisions are also enjoined to finance the services of substitute teachers who may be needed to take the place of DECS Textbook Evaluators in the latter’s schools during the training.
6. The DECS policy prohibiting teachers to be pulled out from their classes during schooldays shall not apply to teachers who serve as textbook evaluators provided that necessary arrangements are made to ensure continuation of classes even in their absence.
7. Each Regional Office shall assign a Textbook Evaluation Coordinator or TEC to ensure immediate and appropriate action on the provisions of this DECS Order (see Annex 4 for guidelines for regional offices). All regions must officially communicate the name of their TEC to the Office of Assistant Secretary Marcial Salvatierra (telefax 633-7231 or 631-8492) not later than June 27.
8. The Office of Assistant Secretary Marcial Salvatierra shall communicate directly with the TEC of each region re final preparations and arrangements for the trainings. For any query or clarification on this matter, please contact Mr. Jay Fernandez at the Office of Assistant Secretary Salvatierra (tel. 633-7202 or 633-7231).
9. For immediate dissemination and appropriate guidance of all concerned.

Incls: As stated
Reference: None
Allotment: 1-2-4—(M.O.1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
OFFICIALS
TEXTBOOKS
RULES & REGULATIONS
TRAINING PROGRAMS
TEACHERS

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