📌 DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025: Strengthening Access Through Inclusive Early Registration for SY 2025–2026 🎓

The Department of Education (DepEd) has taken another bold step toward a more inclusive and learner-centered academic environment with the issuance of DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025. This new directive, which replaces the 2018 Basic Education Enrollment Policy, sharpens the focus on early registration as a vital tool not just for planning and projection, but also for access and inclusion.

With the implementation slated for SY 2025–2026, this policy introduces concrete changes that empower learners, schools, and communities through a streamlined, decentralized, and equity-driven enrollment framework.

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🏫 What Makes DepEd’s Early Registration Policy Different in 2025? 💡

The revised enrollment policy does more than modify administrative protocol—it redefines how the government views access to basic education in the Philippines. According to DepEd’s official release, the updated policy now mandates that all types of learners, including out-of-school children, youth, and adults (OSCYA), are eligible for enrollment in both formal and non-formal learning systems.

What sets this early registration system apart is its localized and proactive approach. Public schools are no longer passive receivers of enrollees—they are now active participants in identifying, reaching, and registering eligible students, even those in remote and underserved communities.

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📅 When and How Will Early Registration Be Conducted? 🗓️

The official early registration period is set every year from the last Saturday of January to the last Friday of February. During this window, Kindergarten entrants, new enrollees in Grades 1, 7, and 11, transferees to public schools, and first-time ALS learners are expected to pre-register. The policy allows for flexibility, empowering Schools Division Offices (SDOs) to extend the period as needed due to unforeseen circumstances.

This pre-registration serves as a planning tool, but it's crucial to understand that participation does not guarantee enrollment. Instead, it enables schools to estimate resource needs, including classrooms, teachers, and learning materials.

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📣 Outreach First: Advocacy and Community Collaboration in Early Registration 🧭

A unique highlight of DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025 is its mandatory advocacy campaign, designed to reach learners who are often left behind. This includes children:

• with disabilities

• living in off-grid areas

• in conflict zones or areas hit by natural disasters

• who are stateless or undocumented

• who have chronic illnesses or nutritional challenges

According to UNESCO and UNICEF joint reports, such vulnerable learners are often excluded due to a lack of information or legal documentation. This updated policy ensures that schools must go beyond their walls—through partnerships with barangays, LGUs, and social welfare offices—to actively engage these learners.

This community-based advocacy also mirrors global best practices for inclusive education, as cited by Save the Children Philippines, where inter-agency cooperation is critical in reaching the last-mile learners.

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🧾 Flexible Eligibility: Removing Barriers Through Lenient Document Verification 🔍

Another game-changing aspect of the 2025 early registration policy is how it handles eligibility verification. While learners must present documents, these are not to be collected or withheld. This means that a lack of immediate access to records—such as birth certificates, completion forms, or academic transcripts—will no longer be a barrier to early registration.

PSA-issued birth certificates remain the standard, but secondary documents (as listed in Section 7 of the order) are now accepted. For learners without formal schooling backgrounds, even Alternative Learning System (ALS) credentials or placement exam results like the PEPT or A&E certificates will suffice.

According to legal scholars from the University of the Philippines Law Center, this shift marks a significant legal advancement, ensuring that documentary limitations do not deny access to education.

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🧠 Strategic Use of Early Registration Data in Educational Planning 📊

One of the lesser-known but powerful effects of early registration is its role in academic planning. All data collected are uploaded into the DepEd Learner Information System (LIS), allowing schools and education planners to:

• Forecast enrollment numbers

• Determine class sizes

• Assign teachers appropriately

• Plan curriculum delivery and resource distribution

Rather than operating in the dark, schools can now rely on real-time registration data to guide their budget allocation and classroom strategies, especially in areas with rapidly growing learner populations.

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🔁 A Second Chance for Learning: The Role of ALS and Balik-Aral Programs 💼📚

The revised policy gives special attention to Balik-Aral learners and ALS enrollees—those who have previously dropped out or have not entered the formal system at all. These learners may present alternative documentation such as:

• Report cards (SF9)

• ALS Form 5

• Medical records for SPED

• PEPT/A&E certification

According to DepEd’s ALS Task Force, these flexible pathways reflect a commitment to lifelong learning and educational equity. For many learners, especially adults, this could be their only opportunity to gain functional literacy, finish basic education, and pursue higher education or employment.

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🔒 Legal and Institutional Backing for Sustainability 🏛️

DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025 has legal weight: it takes effect 15 days after its publication in a national newspaper or the Official Gazette, and is duly registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at UP Diliman. This ensures not just policy continuity, but also public accountability and transparency—hallmarks of any sound educational reform.