To Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Regional, Bureau and Center Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Heads of Private Schools

1. The May 2000 Nonformal Education Accreditation and Equivalency (NFE A&E) Tests will be administered in approved designated Testing Centers on 7 May, 2000 to qualified resident in the approved sites of the ADB — assisted Philippines Nontonnal Education Project in the following Regions:National Capital Region – All Schools Division
   Region V – Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon
   Region VII – Cebu City, Lapu-lapu City and Mandaue City
   Region XII – North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat
   Region IV – Mindoro
   Region VI – Aklan, Antique
   Region VIII – Southern Leyte, Northern Samar
   Region IX – Zamboangadel Norte, Zamboanga del Sur
   Cordillera Administrative Region – Abra
   Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao – Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur I
2. The prospective NFE A&E registrants/examinees are Out-of-School Filipinos aged 15 years and above (as of May 07, 2000) who are basically literate or have completed the Functional Education and Literacy Program (FELP).
3. Any misrepresentation made by any registrant with regards to his/her identity, age and status (out-of-school) will render the registration and the test result invalid.
4. The NFE A&E Tests are open to prospective examinees from either of the following categories:
   * Learners who have attended or are attending learning sessions conducted by Service Providers contracted under the NFE A&E System, or Qualified individuals who have not enrolled nor attended the NFE A&E learning sessions but have been found to be qualified to take the tests after undergoing the screening process to be conducted by the Test Registration Officer assigned in the Registration Center.Those who have met the abovementioned qualifications will be allowed to register upon presentation of two copies of recent l”xl” photographs (taken within the past twelve months) and any authentic proof of identification as listed in Inclosure No.l Applicants without photographs and authentic proof of identification will not be registered. Those who are currently enrolled as students in the formal school system are not allowed to register for the NFE A&E tests.
5. There will be two levels of the NFE A&E Tests – Elementary Level (approximately three hours) and Secondary Level (approximately three hours and forty-five minutes) which are paper and pencil-based tests with multiple choice type questions based on the skills and competencies detailed in the NFE A&E Curriculum Framework.
6. The NFE A&E System is a flexible learning system which recognizes prior learning gained outside the formal school. It is in this context that applicants who have not attended formal school may be allowed to take the tests provided they qualify in toe screening process. Applicants who do not hold an elementary level certificate may opt to take the secondary level test, however, they should be made aware by the Test Registration Officer that if they fail to pass the Secondary Level Test, they will not receive any certificate. Prospective examinees are generally advised to select the appropriate level of the test using the last grade/year completed in the elementary or secondary formal school system as a guide.
7. The Registration Period for the NFE A&E Tests starts on 1 February, 2000 and ends on 26 March, 2000. There will absolutely be no extension of the Registration Period to provide time for processing of the forms and packaging of test materials.
8. There will absolutely be no change in the date of the NFE A&E Tests.
9. DECS has contracted the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM) to undertake the development and administration of the NFE A&E Tests and processing of the test results.
10. The Bureau of Nonformal Education (BNFE), in coordination with the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM), the National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC), the Regional Offices and Schools Divisions shall oversee this testing activity. The BNFE Director, Regional Directors and Schools Division Superintendents shall take charge of the effective supervision and administration of these tests in their respective sphere of responsibility. The National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC) shall assist in the monitoring of the test administration.
11. BNFE Staff will be assigned to the approved designated Registration Centers from 27 – 30 March 2000 to check the registration forms and to oversee the preparation of the final lists of qualified examinees.
12. After the registration period, the Test Registration Officer shall prepare the list of qualified examinees in four (4) copies, two of which will be given to the Division NFE Supervisor and Testing Center Administrator. The original and second copies will be brought by the BNFE staff to the Central Office for reference of the BNFE and CEM. No other name shall be added to this final list nor will anyone whose name is not found in the list be allowed to take the test.
13. The Test Registration Centers are public or private elementary or high schools which are designated by the Schools Division Superintendents. These centers shall have the necessary facilities as detailed in Inclosure No. 1. These Test Registration Centers shall also serve as the Testing Centers so the registrants will know where to go on Testing Day. No change of Testing Centers will be allowed unless absolutely necessary and with written approval of the Undersecretary for Programs and Projects or the Director IV of toe BNFE.
14. No fees shall be paid by the test registrants/examinees.
15. The BNFE and CEM officials shall conduct an Orientation on the NFE A&E Test Administration for Regional and Assistant Regional Directors, Schools Division Superintendents, Assistant Schools Division Superintendents in-charge of NFE, Regional NFE Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs and NFE Division Supervisors of the aforementioned sites two weeks before the Test.
16. Two days before the Tests, an Orientation will be conducted in the Division Level for the Test Center Administrators, Examiners and Roving Proctors and other concerned staff on the Conduct of the NFE A&E Tests and the use of the Examiner’s Manual for Test Administration.
17. Attached are the following Inclosures:
    No. 1 – Registration Procedures at the Designated Registration Centers
    No. 2 – Guidelines on the A dministration of th e NFE A&E Tests
    No. 3A – NFE A&E Test Registration Form (Elementary Level)
    No. 3B – NFE A&E Test Registration Form (Secondary Level)
    No. 4 – NFE A&E Test Form 1
    No. 5 – List of Designated NFE A&E Testing Centers
    No. 6 – DECS Order No. 85, s. 1999
18. Any breach of security and any violation of policies governing the administration of the NFE A&E Tests, such as allowing nonqualified persons to register and take the test, reading of the test booklets by persons other than the qualified examinees, photocopying of the test booklets, supplying answers to the test questions to the examinees and other related acts will be dealt with accordingly.
19. Provisions stated in the NFE A&E Manual of Operations and other DECS Orders which are contrary to the previsions of this Order are hereby rescinded.
20. Immediate and wide dissemination of the contents of this Order to all concerned is desired.

References: DECS Order Nos. 22, 40, 85 and 92 s. 1999
Allotment: 1 — (D.Q.50 – 97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
ACCREDITATION
EQUIVALENCY TEST
EXAMINATION
NONFORMAL EDUCATION
POLICY

DO_s2000_08