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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
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SENATE 
"":IJSC! 
S. No. 
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Prepared by the Committees on Education, Arts and Culture; Ways and Means; and Finance 
with Senalors Recto, Legarda, Angara, and Dr!ion as authors 
AN ACT 
ENHANCING THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM 
BY STRENGTHENING ITS CURRICULUM 
AND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF YEARS FOR BASIC EDUCATION, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be ;1 enacted by Ihe Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. S"ort Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Enhanced Basic Education 
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Act of 2012". 
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SEC. 2. Dec/aratioll of Policy. - The State shall establish, maiotain and suppOtt a 
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complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people, 
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the country and society - at large. 
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Likcwise, it is hereby declared the policy of the State that every graduate of 
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basic education shall be an empowered individual who has learned, through a program that is 
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rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence, the foundations for 
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learning throughout life, the competence to engage in work and be productive, the ability to 
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coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global communities, the capability to engage in 
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autonomous, creative, and critical thinking, and the capacity and willingness to transform others 
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and one's self. 
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For this purpose, the State shall create a functional basic education system that will 
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develop productive and responsible citizens equipped with the essential competencies, skills and 
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values for both life-long learning and employment. In order to achieve this, the State shall: 
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a) Give every student an opportunity to receive quality education that is glohally 
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competitive based on a pedagogically sound curriculum that is at par with 
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international standards; 
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b) Broaden the goals of high school education for college preparation, vocational and 
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teclmical 
career 
opportunities 
as 
well 
as 
creative 
arts, 
sports 
and 
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entrepreneurial employment in a rapidly changing and increasingly globalized 
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environment; and 
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c) Make education learner-oriented and responsive to the needs, cognitive and 
cultural capacity, the circumstances and diversity of learners, schools and 
communities through the appropriate languages of teaching and learning, 
including mother tongue as a learning resource. 
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SEC. 3. Basic Education. 
Basic education 
IS 
intended to 
meet basic 
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learning needs which provides the foundation on which subsequent learning can be 
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based. It encompasses kindergatten, elementary and secondary education as well as 
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alternative learning systems for out-of-schoollearners and those with special needs. 
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SEC. 4. Coverage of Enhanced Basic Education. The enhanced basic education 
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program encompasses at least one (1) year of kindergarten education, six (6) years of 
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elementary cducation, and six (6) years of secondary education, in that sequence. Secondary 
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education includes four (4) years of junior high school and two (2) years of senior high school 
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education. 
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Kindergarten Education shall mean one (1) year of preparatory education for children 
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at least five (5) years old as a prerequisite for Grade I. 
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Elementary Education refers to the second stage of compulsory basic education which 
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is composed of six (6) years. The entrant age to this level is typically six (6) years old. 
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Secondary Education refers to the third stage of compulsory basic education. 
It 
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consists of four (4) years of junior high school education and two (2) years senior high school 
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education. The entrant age to the junior and senior high school levels are typically twelve (12) 
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and sixteen (16) years old, respectively. 
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SEC. 5. Curriculum Development. -
The DepEd, in coordination with the 
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Commission on 
Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and 
Skills 
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Development Authority(TESDA), and other relevant stakeholders shall formulate the design 
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and details of (he enhanced basic education curriculum consistent with Section 2 of this 
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Act, taking into consideration the decongestion of the existing curriculum. Paramount 
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consideration shall be given to ensure college and work readiness and to avoid remedial 
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and duplication of basic education subjects at the post-secondary level. 
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To achieve an effective enhanced basic education curriculum, DepEd shall 
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undertake consultations with other national government agencies and other stakeholders 
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including, but not limited to, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), 
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Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), private and public schools associations, 
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national 
student 
organizations, 
national 
teacher organizations, 
parents-teachers 
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associations, and the chambers of commerce andlor industry associations on matters 
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affecting the concerned stakeholders. 
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SEC. 6. Curriculum Review alld Assessment Committee. - There shall be created 
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a Curriculum Review and Assessment Committee, chaired by the DepEd Secretary or a 
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duly authorized representative, and with members composed of, but not limited to, heads 
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or duly authorized representatives of the following: 
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(1) Commission on Higher Education (CI-IED); 
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(2) Technical Education and Skills Development Authori(y (TESDA); 
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(3) National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA); 
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(4) An association of private education institutions; 
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(5) An association of public teltiary education institutions; 
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(6) A teachers' organization; 
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(7) Chambers of commerce andlor relevant industry associations. 
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The Review and Assessment Committee shall oversee the annual review and 
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evaluation on the implementation of the basic education curriculum and recommend to 
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the DepEd the formnlation of necessary refinements in the curriculum. 
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The Review and Assessment Committee shall meet at least four (4) times a year and 
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hold such other meetings at the call of the chairman or a majority of the members. The 
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members shall not be entitled to compensation or remuneration in the performance of said 
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functions. 
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SEC. 7. Teacher Education and Training. - To ensure that the enhanced basic 
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education program meets the demand for quality teachers and school leaders, the DepEd 
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and CI'IED, in collaboration with relevant partners in government, academe, industry, and 
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non-governmental organizations, shall conduct teacher education and training programs, as 
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specified: 
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a) 
In-service Training on Content and Pedagogy - Current DepEd teachers shall be 
re-trained to meet the content and performance standards of the new K -12 
curriculum. 
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The DepEd shall ensure that private education institutions shall be given 
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the opportunity to avail of such training; 
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b) 
Training of New Teachers -
New graduates of the current Teacher 
Education curriculum shall undergo additional training, upon hiring, to upgrade 
their skills to the content standards of the new curriculum. Furthermore, CHED, 
in coordination with DepEd and relevant stakeholders, shall ensure that the 
Teacher Education curriculum offered in these TEls will meet the necessary 
quality standards for new teachers. 
c) 
Training of School 
Leadership 
Superintendents, 
Principals, 
Area Coordinators, and other instructional school leaders shall 
undergo workshops and training to enhance their skills on their 
academic, administrative, and community leaders. 
Subject 
likewise 
role as 
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Henceforth, such professional development programs as those stated above 
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shall be initiated and conducted regularly throughout the school year to ensure constant 
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upgrading of teacher skills. 
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SEC. 8. Hiring of Graduates of Science, Mathematics, Statistics Engineering 
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and Other Specialists in Subjects witlt a Sltortage of Qualified Applicants, Technical-
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Vocational COllrses alld Higher Education Institution FaCulty. -
Notwithstanding the 
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provisions of Sections 26, 27 and 28 of Republic Act No. 7836, otherwise known as the 
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Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994, the DepEd and private education 
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institutions may hire, as may be relevant to the particular subject: 
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a) Graduates of science, mathematics, statistics, engineering, music and other 
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degree 
courses with shortages in qualified LET applicants to teach in 
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their specialized subjects in the elementary and secondary education: PrOVided, 
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That they pass the LET within five (5) years af'ter their date of hiring. Provided 
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further, that if such graduates are willing to teach on part-time basis, the 
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provisions of LET shall no longer be required; 
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b) Graduates of technical·vocational courses to teach in their specialized subjects in 
the secondary 
education: 
Provided, 
That 
these 
graduates 
possess 
the 
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necessary certification issued by TESDA: Provided forther, That they undergo 
appropriate in-service training (0 be administered by DepEd; 
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c) Faculty of higher education institutions (HEIs) be allowed to teach in their 
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general education or subject specialties in the secondary education: Provided, That 
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the faculty must be a holder of a relevant Master's degree, or Master's Degree 
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with the relevant professional license, and must have satisfactorily served as a full-
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time HE! faculty; 
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d) The DepEd and Private Education Institutions may hire practitioners, with 
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expertise in the specialized learning areas offered by the Basic Education 
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CUl1'iculum, to teach in (he Secondary Level; Provided, that they teach on part-
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time basis only. For this 
purpose, the DepEd, in coordination with the 
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appropriate goverrunent agencies, shall determine the necessary qualification 
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standards in hiring these experts. 
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. SEC. 9. Medium of InS/fllction. - The mother tongue of the learner also known as 
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the first language (FL), home language, native language or vernacular shall be the primary 
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medium of instruction for teaching and learning from the kindergarten level to Grade 3 of 
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the elementary education. The DepEd in coordination with the Commission on Filipino 
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Language and in close collaboration with academic and research institutions concerned with 
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education shall formulate a mother-tongue-based multilingual framework for teaching and 
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learning in the kindergarten and elementary education. 
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SEC. 10. Career Guidance and Counselling Advocacy. - To properly guide the 
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students in choosing (he career tracks that they intend to pursue, the DepEd, in coordination 
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with DOLE, TESDA and CHED, shall regularly conduct career advocacy activities for 
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secondary level students. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 27 of Republic Act 
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No. 9258, otherwise known as the Guidance and Counselling Act of 2004, career and 
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employment 
guidance counsellors, who are not registered and licensed guidance 
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counsellors, shall be allowed to conduct career advocacy activities to secondary level 
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students of the school where they are currently employed. 
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SEC. 11. Expansion of E-GASTPE Beneficiaries. -
The benefits accorded by 
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Republic Act No. 8545, or the Expanded Government Assistance for Students and Teachers 
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in the Private Education Act, shall be extended to qualified students emolled under the 
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enhanced basic education. 
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The DepEd shall engage the services of private education institutions and non-
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DepEd schools offering senior high school through the programs under RA. 8545, and 
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other financial arrangements formulated by DepEd and DBM based on the principles 
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of public-private partnership. 
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SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after 
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the . effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, in coordination with CHED and TESDA, and in 
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consultation with 
the 
Department 
of Budget 
and 
Management 
(DBM), 
shall 
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promulgate (he rules and regulations needed for the implementation of this Act. 
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sectors: 
For this purpose, the DepEd shall consult resource persons from the following 
a) 
A parents' association; 
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b) 
An association of private education institutions; 
c) 
An association of public tertiary education institutions; 
d) 
A teachers' organization; and 
e) 
Chambers' of commerce and/or relevant industry associations 
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SEC. 13. Appropriations. -
The Secretary of Education shall include in the 
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Department's program the operationalization of the enhanced basic education program. the 
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initial funding of which shall be charged against the current appropriations of the DepEd. 
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Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of the enhanced basic 
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education program shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 14. Transitory Provisions. - The DepEd, CHED and TESDA shall formulate 
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the appropriate strategies and mechanisms needed to ensure smooth transition from the 
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existing ten (10) years basic education cycle to the enhanced basic education (K-12) cycle. 
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The strategies may cover changes in physical infrastructure, manpower, organizational and 
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structural concerns, bringing models linking grade 10 competencies and the entry 
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requirements of new tertiary curricula, and partnerships between the government and other 
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entities. 
Modeling for senior high school may be implemented in selected schools to 
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simulate the transition process and provide concrete data for the transition plan. 
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To manage the initial implementation of the enhanced basic education program and 
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mitigate the expected multi-year low enrolment turnout for HEls and Technical 
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Vocational Institutions (TV Is) starting School Years 2016-2017, the DepEd shall engage 
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in partnerships with HEls and TV Is for the utilization of the latter's human and physical 
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resources. Moreover, the DepEd, CHED, TESDA, TVIs and HEIs shall coordinate 
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closely with one another to implement strategies that ensure the academic, physical, 
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financial, and human resource capabilities of HEls and TVIs to provide educational and 
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training services for graduates of the 
enhanced basic education program to ensure that 
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they are not adversely affected. The faculty of HEIs and TVIs allowed to teach students of 
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secondary education under Section 10 hereof, shall be given priority in hiring for the 
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duration of the transition period. For this purpose, the transition period shall be provided for 
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in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (lRR). 
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SEC. 15. Separability Clause. -
If any proVISIOn of this Act is held 
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invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the 
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other 
provisions hereof. 
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SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - Pertinent provisions of Batas Pamhansa Bilang 232 or 
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the Education Act of 1982 , Republic Act No. 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education 
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Act of 2011, Republic Act No. 9258, Republic Act No. 7836, Republic Act No. 1425 or the 
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inclusion in the College Curricula, The Life, Works and Writings of Jose Rizal, and all other 
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laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the 
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provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the OffiCial Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Appraved, 
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