To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Superintendents
Presidents, State Colleges and Universities
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities

1. In accordance with the policy of the State to provide for free public secondary education to all qualified citizens and the provisions of Sec. 9 of Republic Act No. 6655, the following rules and regulations on the implementation of Free Public Secondary Education starting school year 1988-89 are hereby promulgated:
   1. Nationalization of Public Secondary Schools means that the establishment, renaming, conversion, integration, separation, administration, supervision and control of all public secondary schools and public secondary school teachers, and other school personnel, including the payment of their salaries, allowances and other fringe benefits as well as those already provided by local government are hereby vested in the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. Any benefit which the Local or National Government may have granted to students, teachers and other school personnel prior to the enactment of the Act shall not be withdrawn or diminished.
   2. In order to upgrade the quality of education at the secondary level, the curriculum shall provide for the development of knowledge, value and skills, including skills that will give students gainful employment. As such the curriculum shall have the following features:
      (1) Cognitive, affective, manipulative based, i.e. humanities, science and technology shall form the cognitive dimension; moral, spiritual, social, political, aesthetic and work values, the affective dimension; and work skills, the psychomotor dimension;
      (2) Consists of core subjects;
      (3) Includes the study of the Constitution;
      (4) Adheres to the bilingual policy.
   3. The right of any student to avail of free public high school education shall terminate if he fails in majority of the academic subjects in which he is enrolled for two (2) consecutive school years during the course of his study unless such failure is due to some valid cause.
      (1) Failure in one (1) 100 minutes and one (1) 300 minutes a week yearly subjects or three (3) 180 minutes or two (2) 300 minutes a week yearly subjects means failure in that curricular year.
      (2) “Due to some valid cause” means that the circumstances for such failures may be attributed to reasons beyond the students’ control, such as illness, family instability, or environmental disturbances.
   4. Non-payment of fees related to membership in the school community such as identification cards, student organization and publications shall not in any case be a bar to the enrolment or graduation of any student.
   5. All financial requirements for the full implementation of the free public secondary education system shall be met through realignment of transfer of funds from existing appropriation for savings of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports as authorized by the President of the Philippines.
   6. A report on the actual enrolment, number of classes in all year levels, actual number of teachers and classrooms used, the additional teachers and classrooms needed and, such other information as may be useful for evaluation of the implementation of the program, shall be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Planning within thirty (30) days from the opening of the school year.
2. Inclosed with this Order is Republic Act 6655 entitled “Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988.” Furthermore, attention is invited to DECS Order No. 40, s. 1988 entitled “Guidelines in the Implementation of the Free Secondary Education Program for School Year 1988-89.
3. It is desired that this Order 65 immediately disseminated for the information and guidance of all concerned.

(SGD.) LOURDES R. QUISUMBING
Secretary

Incl.: As stated
Reference: DECS Order: (No. 40, s. 1988)
Allotment: 1-2-3-4–(M.O. 1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
Course of Study, SECONDARY
RULES & REGULATIONS
LEGISLATION
STUDENTS

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