To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Heads, Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools

1. In view of the increasing number of requests in accordance with the provision of Paragraph 2.a of DECS Order No. 22, s. 1998, it is hereby urgently provided a delimiting clause to said Order.
2. The DECS Order providing the administration of the Philippine Validating Test (PVT) to schools operating without permit shall continue to be enforced, however, the test shall be administered to students from these schools, once during the year on an appointed date.
3. If said schools continue to operate and subsequently request the administration of the PVT outside the scheduled test, the DepED may not be able to accommodate such request.
4. This measure is being instituted to discourage the continued operation of unregistered and unrecognized learning institutions across the country.
5. Those who went through other alternative learning deliveries may be permitted to take the validation examination, subject to a thorough evaluation of credentials of the applicants by the National Education Testing and Research Center (NETRC).
6. There shall be an increase in examination fee, from Fifty Pesos (PhP50.00) to One Hundred Pesos (PhPl00.00), to defray computer-man-hour and electric costs.
7. For more information, please contact Ms. Ester Menciano, Chief, Test Development Division, NETRC, telefax no. 631-25-89, trunk line 631 -13-61 local 2141.
8. Immediate dissemination of this Order is directed.

Reference: DECS Order: (No. 22, s. 1998)
Allotment: 1—(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
ACCREDITATION
CHANGE
POLICY
TESTS