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

1. The Department of Education (DepEd), through the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE), has been implementing the Special Science Elementary School (SSES) Project since 2007. This is an educational intervention designed to develop children who have keen interest and exceptional abilities in Science and Mathematics.
2. To support the operation of the project, DepEd started to download financial subsidies to the SSES-implementing schools in Fiscal Year 2008 to augment their regular Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) and to pursue innovations as reflected in their approved School Improvement Plans (SIPs). For this year, funds shall be downloaded to schools listed in Enclosure No. 1, subject to the guidelines on the availment, release, utilization, and liquidation thereof.
3. The financial subsidy of the schools implementing the SSES Project shall be utilized for the following purposes:
   1. Conduct of activities, such as investigatory projects, leadership training, workshop, educational visits, and participation in science-related activities, for pupil development and learning;
   2. Purchase of assessment materials (e.g., psychological tests) and payment for professional services of psychologists and psychometricians in the screening and identification of Grade 1 entrants;
   3. Capability building of teachers and school heads (SHs), and participation in conferences, trainings, seminars, and immersions in other science-related activities;
   4. Procurement of video materials, licensed software, reference books, and instructional materials in Science, Mathematics, and English as prescribed in DepEd Order Nos. 48, s. 2011 and 112, s. 2009; and
   5. Minor repairs and maintenance of devices/facilities such as science model apparatuses, scientific tools and equipment, among others.
4. The following objects of expenditure shall not be allowed under the subsidy:
   1. Personal services such as salaries, overtime pay and honoraria;
   2. Operational expenses such as utilities (water, electricity, janitorial and security services) funded from the regular MOOE; and
   3. Capital Outlay such as the purchase of furniture and equipment (computers, science and math equipment and others), and major repairs of equipment and laboratories.
5. Upon release of the allotment by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to DepEd Central Office (CO), the Budget Division-Finance and Management Service shall issue the Sub-Allotment Release Order (Sub-ARO) to the schools with financial autonomy or to implementing units (IUs), and through the schools division offices for schools without fiscal autonomy. After the receipt of the Sub-ARO, the secondary IUs and the division offices (DOs) shall request from the concerned DBM Regional Offices (ROs) the corresponding cash requirements or Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA).
6. Management and disbursement of the funds, including the submission of quarterly physical and financial accomplishment reports on or before the third day of the first month of the succeeding quarter (April 3, July 3, October 3 and January 3) using the prescribed template in Enclosure No. 2 to the schools division/city office concerned, shall be the responsibility of the heads of the recipient schools, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
7. The DO shall provide appropriate assistance, conduct quality assurance and monitoring of the program and integrate and submit the consolidated Physical and Financial Accomplishments using Enclosure No. 3 every fifth day of the month of the succeeding quarter (April 5, July 5, October 5 and January 5) to the RO concerned, copy furnished the BEE, DepEd CO through email address: bee.sdd.2013@gmail.com and Office of the Planning Service-Planning and Programming Division (OPS-PPD) through email address: opsppd.deped@gmail.com, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.
8. The RO shall conduct quality assurance and monitor pertinent DO activities and provide the latter with appropriate technical assistance.
9. To ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the project, an evaluation shall be conducted by a composite task force in coordination with the OPS.
10. All existing Orders and Memoranda inconsistent with this Order are rescinded. These guidelines shall remain in force and in effect, unless sooner repealed, amended, or rescinded.
11. For more information and inquiries, all concerned may contact the Chief, Staff Development Division-Bureau of Elementary Education (SDD-BEE), 2nd Floor Bonifacio Building, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City at telephone no.: (02) 687-2948 or through email address: bee.sdd.2013@gmail.com.
12. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

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