To:   Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Superintendents
Presidents, State Colleges and University
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities

1.   Date of the 1999 NEAT and NSAT Administration. The 1999 National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) and National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT) will be administered to all Grade VI pupils and Fourth Year students in all public and private schools at 7:30 o’ clock in the morning on January 18 and January 21, 2000respectively.

2.   Components of the NEAT and the NSAT. For this year, both tests will consist of five subject areas with 50 and 80 items per subject area in the NEAT and NSAT, respectively. The NEAT will now include Filipino while Social Studies will now be a part of the NSAT in addition to the four subject areas covered in the previous years. The Communication Arts component (English and Filipino) of both tests will include composition writing which will be administered to sample schools only. Taking the NEAT and NSAT shall be a requirement for the evaluation of the schools by region/division/district.

3.   A fee of ten pesos (P10.00) shall be collected from examinees who are interested in a certificate of rating to be issued by the National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC).

4.   The final submission of the report on the number of examinees should be submitted to NETRC not later than September 10, 1999. Non- compliance with the deadline of submission may affect the allocation of the correct number of test materials for each testing center.

5.   Assignment of Responsibilities. The National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC), in cooperation with the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE), the Bureau of Secondary education (BSE), and the regional offices, shall undertake this activity. All bureaus, centers, regional and division offices of this department with the cooperation of other government agencies shall assist in this undertaking. The regional directors shall take charge of the effective administration of these tests including the implementation of strict security measures on the test materials to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the tests. ANY BREACH OF SECURTY SHALL BE DEALTH WITH ACCORDINGLY.

6.   The NETRC shall conduct a National Orientation Seminar Workshop on the administration of the 1999 NEAT/NSAT for Division Superintendents, the Chiefs of the Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Regional Administrative Officers. The details of this are provided in Inclosure 1 of this Order. Likewise, the division offices shall conduct an echo orientation/briefing for their testing coordinators, chief examiners, room supervisors and room examiners after the national seminar- workshop.

8.   Immediate and wide dissemination of this order is desired for the information and guidance of all concerned.