To: Bureau Directors and Regional Directors

1. In view of the number of inquiries on establishing and operating elementary and secondary schools following the Philippine educational curriculum (hereinafter called Philippine schools abroad), intended primarily for dependents of Filipinos working abroad, this Office hereby issues the following revised set of guidelines:
2. Nature of school. In general, the proposed Philippine school abroad shall be organized and operated as a private school and shall adhere to the Manual of Regulations for Private Schools, Eighth Edition, subject to regulation by DECS in much the same way as a private school in the Philippines. In accordance with the preference of the Department of Foreign Affairs, all Philippine schools abroad which are presently officially operated by the Philippine Embassy itself shall take the necessary steps to organize and operate as a separate juridical entity from that of the mission pursuant to the provisions of this Order.
3. Organization of the School. A Philippine school abroad shall be organized as a private juridical entity. If under Philippine law, such a school shall incorporate as a private corporation, duly registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. Such schools in the alternative may also incorporate and register as a juridical entity under the laws of the host government.
4. Permit from the Host Government. – The authority or permit from the host government to establish and operate the Philippine school abroad shall be a requirement. In those instances when the host government requires that the establishment and operation of such schools shall be as government-owned schools, then alternative arrangements may be made on a case-by-case basis.
5. Filing of applications. Applications to operate such Philippine schools abroad shall be submitted to the central office of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports located in Pasig, Metro Manila (see Annex A for short form submission). Only applications for pre-school, elementary school, and secondary school will be considered by DECS. As a general rule, applications for authori¬ty to operate shall be received by DECS at least six (6) months before the target opening of the school. The authority given by DECS for the operation of a private school in any particular locality abroad shall not be exclusive; additional or subsequent applications may be considered favorably as well.
6. Governing board. The majority of the members of the governing board shall be com¬posed of Filipinos, who shall manage the operation of the Philippine school and shall formulate appropriate policies. It is advisable that close coordination be maintained with the Philippine Embassy or Consulate where the school is to be located.
7. Issuance of permits and recognitions. A Permit to Operate the elementary or secondary course of study, or both, shall be given to the school after requirements in pertinent DECS issuances (DECS Order No. 5, s. 1989, DECS Order No. 92, s. 1992) and in Batas Pambansa Big. 232 have been satisfactorily met. The permit shall be for a period of one year, renewable yearly. A certificate of recognition shall be applied for and given prior to the beginning of the last year of the course.
8. Inspection of school site and facilities. An ocular inspection of the school by an author¬ized DECS representative shall be a prerequisite to granting a Permit to Operate or a Certificate of Recognition. The one-time application fee and periodic inspection fees shall be determined by DECS subsequently.
9. School Calendar. Whenever feasible, the DECS school calendar shall be followed to enable the students in these Philippine schools abroad to transfer with facility to schools in the Philip pines; however, these Philippine schools abroad can adopt their own school calendar to conform with the local calendar.
10. Curricula. The school shall implement the standard minimum elementary and secondary curricula required for private schools in the Philippines, but may submit such modifications which may be suited to its particular location, such as additional foreign language subjects. Deviations from the standard curricula will require DECS approval beforehand. Teachers and school administrators to be hired shall be educationally qualified.
11. Submission of periodic reports. The Philippine school abroad shall submit to the DECS central office in Pasig such reports as are required of private elementary and high schools in the Philip¬pines, with copies furnished the Philippine mission in that country where the Philippine school abroad is located.
12. Transitory provisions. Those Philippine schools presently in existence abroad may continue to operate for the time being, provided that steps are immediately taken to notify DECS cen¬tral office in Pasig about the proposed schedule for compliance with all the requirements, which in any case should be completed before the end of the current school year 1994-95, or by March 1995 at the latest.
13. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately. All DECS issuances contrary to this Order are considered superseded.

Incl.: As stated
Reference: DECS Orders: (Nos. 5, s. 1989 and 92, s. 1992); No. 109, s. 1989
Allotment: l-(M.0.1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CURRICULUM
RULES & REGULATIONS
OFFICIALS
SCHOOLS
PERMIT
TEACHERS
REPORTS

DO_s1994_040