To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/ City Superintendents
Heads, Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools

The following guidelines shall be adopted for the opening of classes for public elementary and secondary schools.

1. The provisions of DepED Order No. 21, s. 2006, otherwise known as the “Guidelines for the Organization of Classes” and DepED Order No. 32, s. 2007, “General Guidelines for the Opening of Classes” are hereby reiterated, specifically as follows:
   1. Children who will be six years old by the opening of the classes (June 10, 2008 for School Year 2008-2009 and every opening of classes for subsequent school years) are eligible for enrolment in Grade I. The birth certificate of the child shall be the documentary basis for admission. In case this is not available, a joint affidavit attesting to the birth of the child executed by two disinterested persons may be submitted, subject to submission of his/her birth certificate thereafter;
      Children who are younger than six years old by at most six months may be admitted to Grade I provided their readiness for school has been assessed positively by the school where they are applying for admission through the School Readiness Assessment Tool, in relation to DepED Order No. 25, s. 2007 on School Readiness Assessment for All Grade One Entrants.
   2. Pupils/ students who wish to transfer to a public school from another public school or from a private school should bring the Form 138 (Report Card) to the school where they intend to transfer. If this document is not available, the child can be admitted on condition that the Report Card shall be submitted not later than the end of the First Grading Period.
   3. Class sizes shall range from a minimum of 15 pupils/students to a maximum of 60 pupils/ students per class.
      Whenever possible, classes from Grades I to III, should not exceed 40 pupils per class in order to keep the teaching- learning process more manageable during these foundation years of schooling. In addition, the most competent and/or most experienced teachers should be assigned to these grade levels, particularly in Grade I.
2. The specific provision of DepED Order No. 32, s. 2003 giving priority preference for admission to those new entrants who are residents of the locality where the school is located, subject to the reasonable threshold ratio of pupils/students per teacher as stated above is retained.
3. The provisions with regard to the “Adoption of Double Shift Policy to address classroom shortages, as provided for in DepED Order No. 62, s. 2004, subject to the above-cited average and maximum class size shall be maintained.
4. The provisions of DepED Order No. 19, s. 2008 on the “Implementation of the No Collection Policy in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools” as well as the announcement and posting of which at the entrance of the school and the “Revised Guidelines Governing PTAs/PTCAs at the School Level” insofar as consistent with the aforecited DepED Order are hereby reiterated for strict compliance.
5. Schools Division Superintendents and School Principals/School Heads are directed to implement this Order. The Regional Director shall monitor the implementation of this Order.
6. Every School Head must send to the Division Office a letter of compliance of this Order. In turn, the Schools Division Superintendents are required to submit to the Office of the Regional Director, who in turn shall submit to the Undersecretary for Regional Operations a consolidated report of said compliance. Any violation of this Order and DepED Order No. 19, s. 2008 by any school official/employee shall be strictly dealt with administratively, pursuant to DepED Order No. 49, s. 2006, otherwise known as the “Revised Rules of Procedure of the Department of Education in Administrative Cases”.
7. All previous issuances which are inconsistent with the provisions of DepED Order No. 19, s. 2008 and this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
8. These guidelines shall remain in force and effect in succeeding school years until revised or repealed.
9. Immediate dissemination of and compliance with this Order is directed.

References: DepED Order: Nos. 19, s. 2008; 25 and 32, s. 2007;
21, 49, s. 2006; 62, s. 2004 and 23 and 32, s. 2003.
Allotment: 1—(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
ADMISSION
ENROLMENT
CLASSES
POLICY
PUPILS
STUDENTS
TRANSFER

DO_s2008_040