To: Bureau Directors
Cultural Agency Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Superintendents
Presidents, State Colleges and Universities
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities
Vocational School Superintendents/Administrators

1. Further to existing Ministry issuances, particularly MECS Orders Nos. 14, s. 1984 (“Minimizing Fund-Raising Campaigns Directed at School Teachers and School Children”), 18, s. 1984 (“Discouraging Lavish Receptions for Visiting School Officials”); and 29, s. 1985 (“Guidelines on the Conduct of In-Service Training Programs, Seminars and Similar Activities”), the following activities are being discouraged or strictly limited:
   1. Large meetings/gatherings of teachers and pupils/students which involve transportation and board and lodging costs, including athletic meets where the attendance of teachers and school officials should be kept to a minimum; FFP/FAHP/FFPCC conventions and conferences; students’ press conferences; teachers’ meetings, programs, etc., even during Education Week, and, in general, all such large gatherings attendance at which require expense of personal funds, particularly in areas hit by adverse economic conditions.
   2. Fund-raising activities intended for school purposes, including especially the raising of funds from teachers and students for the construction of office buildings, schoolrooms, toilets, paths or walks, gates and pergolas, canteen buildings, procurement of desks or equipment, and the like.
   3. Contributions for paints and brushes and other materials for school beautification purposes, and for food and entertainment of school evaluation teams coming from the district, division, regional and/or national offices.
2. Teachers and pupils/students from hard-up areas should be exempted from these gatherings/meetings/assemblies of they have to be held at all, and more economical alternatives should be tried, such as issuing instructions or information through letters, memorandums or bulletins, or sending a representative of the office to explain things to a gathering held at a more convenient place for the teachers and the children and their parents.
3. School evaluation should focus on the more fundamental content and substance of education, i.e., the learning competencies set for each grade, rather than on the physical appearance of the school grounds, buildings and other facilities. Given a skillful and dedicated teacher, learning can always take place even in the barest of schoolrooms/buildings and surroundings.
4. All school officials, from head teachers up, need to remind themselves that the times are hard, that they should try to empathize with, and understand the present situations of their constituents, and that therefore they should refrain from initiating or imposing projects and activities that only work more hardships on the teachers and the students and their parents.
5. Immediate and strict compliance with this Order is enjoined.

References: MECS Orders Nos. 14 and 18, s. 1984 and 29, s. 1985
Allotment: 1-2-3-4—(D.O. 1-76)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
ASSEMBLY
CELEBRATIONS AND FESTIVALS
CONTRIBUTION
CONVENTION
EXPENSES
MEETING
PROJECTS
PUPILS
RULES AND REGULATIONS
SCHOOLS
STUDENTS
TEACHERS

DO_s1985_73