To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Superintendents
Heads of Public/Private 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. The August 15 deadline has since been extended to November 4, 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 at least 250 additional textbook evaluators under a new textbook evaluation system which was developed with DECS and private sector collaboration. These evaluators are expected to complement the services of over 450 evaluators trained last July and August 1996, as per DECS Order No. 44, s. 1996, who indicated their willingness and ability to serve as evaluators starting this year.
3. Textbook evaluators coming from throughout the country who have been or shall be trained this year shall be harnessed to evaluate a total of at least 650 sets of textbooks and teacher’s manuals received from the private sector by November 4, 1996. Three trainings shall be conducted in October and November following the groupings and schedules in Annex I and number and breakdown of participants in Annex 2 of this DECS Order. These trainings shall be conducted by senior officials from the DECS Bureaus of Elementary and Secondary Education and other relevant offices.
4. DECS Regional Offices through their respective Textbook Evaluation Coordinators (TECs) 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 criteria and qualifications of evaluators and Annex 4 for guidelines for DECS regional offices). These individuals must each bring to the training a copy of any textbook and teacher’s manual used in school preferably for the subject and grade/year level they are assigned. Each evaluator must also bring a copy of his/her curriculum vitae or bio-data with two copies of 1” x 1” recent identification card photo.
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 allowable 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. 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).
8. For immediate dissemination and appropriate guidance of all concerned.

Incl.:
As stated
Reference:
DECS Order: (No, 44, s. 1996)
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

DO_s1996_072