# DepEd Early Registration and Enrollment Policy, DO 017

DepEd early registration runs January 30 to February 26, 2027. Who must register, the documents, the kindergarten age, late enrollment and transfers.

This is the Markdown copy of [DepEd Early Registration and Enrollment Policy, DO 017](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-early-registration-enrollment-policy), an article on the NASH Reviewer Blog by Mark Anthony Llego, published Nov 6, 2026. Topics: School leadership, Aspiring school heads. NASH Reviewer is an independent practice platform not affiliated with DepEd, BHROD, or NEAP.

Early registration is the pre-registration of new entrants to public schools before the school year opens. [DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/13/june-13-2025-do-017-s-2025-revised-basic-education-enrollment-policy/), the Revised Basic Education Enrollment Policy, sets it "from the last Saturday of January to the last Friday of February of each year or in a schedule determined by the Department" for incoming Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 7 and Grade 11 learners, transferees into public schools, out-of-school children, youth and adults (OSCYA) entering for the first time, and potential Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners (Sec. V.A). For School Year (SY) 2027-2028, the school calendar of [DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/04/16/april-16-2026-do-009-s-2026-guidelines-on-the-implementation-of-the-three-term-school-calendar-in-basic-education/) puts it from January 30 to February 26, 2027.

Early registration is not enrollment. Pre-registered learners "are not considered officially enrolled" until the family confirms the enrollment in the week before classes open (Sec. IV.o and VI.A). DO 017, s. 2025 repealed the 2018 enrollment policy, and DO 009, s. 2026 has since amended its rules on late enrollment and transfers.

## Key findings

- **Early registration runs from the last Saturday of January to the last Friday of February.** It covers new entrants only; learners going up to Grades 2 to 6, 8 to 10 and 12 "are considered pre-registered" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. V.A). DepEd may set another schedule, and the SDO may extend it.
- **Documents are shown, not collected, at early registration.** They "are not subject to collection and are only for verification purposes" (Sec. V.C).
- **A birth certificate is submitted once from Kindergarten to Grade 12.** A learner without a PSA birth certificate at enrollment may submit a secondary document, such as a barangay certification or a baptismal certificate, "until the 31st of October of the current School Year", and submits the birth certificate once it is available (Sec. VII).
- **A child must be five years old by October 31 to enter Kindergarten.** A child who turns five between November 1 and December 31 may be admitted after one school year of early childhood care and development, or on the results of the Philippine ECD Checklist ([DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/04/june-4-2025-do-015-s-2025-amendment-to-deped-order-no-47-s-2016-omnibus-policy-on-kindergarten-education-as-amended-by-deped-order-no-020-s-2018/), item 2).
- **No fee may be required to register or enroll.** "No voluntary fees shall be collected during the early registration and enrollment period as a prerequisite for registration and enrollment" in public schools, and the forms "are not for sale" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VI.C).
- **Late enrollees are admitted if they enroll by Term 1's second summative test or can still meet 80% of class days.** They "shall be admitted provided that they meet the eighty percent (80%) of the prescribed number of class days, or enroll not later than the conduct of the second summative test in Term 1" (DO 009, s. 2026, Encl., item 34). In SY 2026-2027 that test fell on July 28, 2026.
- **A transferee with missing records is admitted and tagged temporarily enrolled, not turned away.** The learner is "considered temporarily enrolled", and the schools, not the parents, move the records (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. IX.A.b.i and IX.B.a).

## Early registration and enrollment: the yearly timeline

| When | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Before and during early registration | Schools and SDOs run the advocacy campaign; the SDO works with the LGU and barangays on areas with many potential enrollees and too few classrooms | DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. V and V.B |
| Last Saturday of January to last Friday of February (January 30 to February 26, 2027) | Early registration of new entrants; daily encoding in the Early Registration Facility of the Learner Information System (LIS) | DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. V.A and IX.A.a; DO 009, s. 2026, Annex B |
| After early registration | Schools use the data to plan class schedules, teacher assignments and classrooms | DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. V.D and XI.D.b |
| One week before classes open | Enrollment: new entrants enroll with the Basic Education Enrollment Form (BEEF); continuing learners submit a confirmation slip | DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VI.A and VIII |
| Opening of classes | Class advisers encode the BEEF data in the LIS Beginning of School Year (BOSY) module from the first week | DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. IX.A.b |
| Up to Term 1's second summative test, or later while the learner can still meet 80% of class days | Late enrollees are admitted | DO 009, s. 2026, Encl., item 34 |
| October 31 | Last day to submit a secondary document for a learner who had no PSA birth certificate at enrollment | DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VII |

For SY 2026-2027, early registration ran from January 31 to February 27, 2026, under the calendar of [DepEd Order No. 012, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/04/15/april-15-2025-do-012-s-2025-multi-year-implementing-guidelines-on-the-school-calendar-and-activities/), which DO 009, s. 2026 later repealed. Enrollment ran from June 1 to 5, 2026, alongside Brigada Eskwela, and classes opened on June 8, 2026 (DO 009, s. 2026, item 4 and Annex B). The calendar in DO 009 also lists June 7 to 11, 2027 as the enrollment period for SY 2027-2028, but the order says DepEd will issue a memorandum "before the start of every school year" with the detailed schedule (item 4). Check that memorandum before you announce dates.

## Who must early register

DO 017, s. 2025 defines early registration as "the pre-registration of incoming Kindergarten, Grades 1, 7, 11, ALS and SNED learners which takes place prior to the opening of classes" (Sec. IV.d). Sections IV.d and V.A list who registers.

| Learner | Early registers? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming Kindergarten | Yes | Age rule under the Kindergarten policy (see below) |
| Incoming Grade 1, Grade 7 and Grade 11 | Yes | Including Grade 6 and Grade 10 learners still finishing the year ("candidate for graduation", "candidate completer") |
| Transferees into public schools | Yes | Including learners moving from private schools |
| OSCYA entering basic education for the first time | Yes | |
| Potential ALS learners | Yes | School-age children go to ALS only in verified special cases (Sec. V.C) |
| Learners with disabilities in the Special Needs Education (SNED) program | Yes | At least five years old at the start of the school year |
| Incoming Grades 2 to 6, 8 to 10 and 12 | No | "considered pre-registered" |

Early registration exists to plan. DO 017, s. 2025 says it "demonstrates new entrants' projection aiding schools in planning and resource allocation", and schools may use the data for "class scheduling, teacher assignment, classroom assignments" (Sec. V and V.D). It also reaches children who might otherwise miss school. The advocacy campaign must reach learners with disabilities; children in off-grid communities, in barangays without a school or in geographically isolated areas; children displaced by disasters; children in conflict with the law or affected by armed conflict; children with chronic illness or nutritional problems; stateless or undocumented children; and those "No Longer in School but Interested in Going Back to School" (Sec. V.B).

Registering early does not reserve a seat: "participation in early registration does not guarantee official enrollment" (Sec. V). Nor does failing to register shut a learner out. The policy's principle is "that all types of learners, including OSCYA, shall be accepted" (Sec. V.C), and enrollment week admits learners who never pre-registered.

### What the school and the SDO set up

- **Registration desks.** "Elementary and secondary public school officials shall designate Early Registration Desks or Registration Centers on the school premises and non-teaching personnel who will handle registration" (Sec. V).
- **Barangay registration.** The SDO coordinates with the LGU "to identify areas with a high number of potential enrollees but have schools with a low absorptive capacity". The Schools Division Superintendent designates a focal person, "preferably the Public Schools District Supervisor", to work with the barangay captain on registration in the barangay, and the SDO coordinates with the local social welfare office on registering street children (Sec. V).
- **Daily encoding.** Public schools "shall update or encode in the Early Registration Facility in the Learner Information System (LIS) using the school head or school administrator's account daily" (Sec. IX.A.a).
- **Capability mapping.** As part of early registration, schools map teachers' and learners' "capacity to engage in different learning experiences", and the results go into the school's Learning and Service Continuity Plan (LSCP) ([DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/06/04/june-4-2026-do-014-s-2026-guidelines-on-learning-continuity-in-emergencies/), Encl., item 28).
- **The form.** The Basic Education Early Registration Form (Annex A) asks for the learner's name, birthdate, sex, religion, Indigenous Peoples membership, disability, address, parents or guardian and contact number. Schools "may translate the enrollment forms into their local language" (Sec. VI.C).

Regions add their own instructions. For SY 2026-2027, DepEd Region VIII also asked all public and private schools to update the Early Registration Facility daily for the non-entry grades, "based on previous school enrollment data", to project the coming year's enrollment (Regional Memorandum No. 122, s. 2026, item 4).

## Documents for early registration and enrollment

At early registration the family shows documents for verification only. At enrollment the school receives the minimum documentary requirements. The table gives both for the formal school grades.

| Level | Eligibility | Early registration: shown for verification (Sec. V.C) | Enrollment: submitted (Sec. VI.B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | The Kindergarten age rule | PSA birth certificate or any secondary document | Original or certified true copy of the PSA birth certificate, or any secondary document |
| Grade 1 | Completed Kindergarten in a DepEd-authorized school or center | Kindergarten Certificate of Completion, if available; PSA birth certificate or any secondary document | Kindergarten Certificate of Completion; the PSA birth certificate only if not submitted in Kindergarten |
| Grade 1 | Completed Kindergarten in a center without DepEd authority, "Day Care Centers or Home-Schooled Learning Provider" | PEPT Certificate of Rating, if available; birth certificate or secondary document | Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) Certificate of Rating; birth certificate or secondary document |
| Grades 2 to 6 and 8 to 10 | Completed the last grade level | Not applicable (pre-registered) | SF 9 (Report Card) of the last grade level completed |
| Grade 7 | Grade 6 graduate, or PEPT or A&E Elementary passer | Grade 6 SF 9; or PEPT or A&E Certificate of Rating with a birth certificate or secondary document | Grade 6 SF 9; or PEPT or A&E Certificate of Rating |
| Grade 11 | Grade 10 completer, or PEPT or A&E Junior High School passer | Grade 10 SF 9; or PEPT or A&E Certificate of Rating with a birth certificate or secondary document | Grade 10 SF 9; or PEPT or A&E Certificate of Rating |
| Grade 12 | Grade 11 completer | Not applicable (pre-registered) | Grade 11 SF 9 |
| Balik-Aral learner (any grade) | Returning after at least a year away (Sec. IV.a); the table lists PEPT or A&E passers | Birth certificate or secondary document; SF 9, SF 10, or PEPT or A&E Certificate of Rating | Birth certificate or secondary document; SF 9, or PEPT or A&E Certificate of Rating |
| SNED program | At least five years old at the start of the school year | Birth certificate or secondary document; PWD ID or a medical diagnosis, if available | The same |

ALS learners have their own rows in DO 017, s. 2025 for the Basic Literacy Program and the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Elementary, Junior High School and Senior High School programs; the [ALS and inclusive education guide](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-als-inclusive-education-programs) covers them.

### The birth certificate rule

"All learners shall only submit a Birth Certificate ONCE throughout their stay in basic education (K to 12)" (Sec. VII). When the PSA copy is not yet available, the learner enrolls on any secondary document:

1. National ID or any primary government ID (driver's license, passport, postal ID and the like)
2. Certificate of Live Birth from the Local Civil Registry
3. Marriage certificate
4. PhilHealth ID
5. PWD ID
6. A barangay certification giving the child's name, date of birth, sex and parents' names
7. An affidavit of undertaking executed by the parents
8. For a foundling, a Certificate of Foundling issued by the NSO or PSA
9. Baptismal certificate

Secondary documents are accepted "provided that the birth certificate will be submitted once available", and a learner without a PSA birth certificate at enrollment may submit them "until the 31st of October of the current School Year" (Sec. VII). A school also may not ask for a fresh copy every year. [Republic Act No. 11909](https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11909_2022.html), the Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Act, which lapsed into law on July 28, 2022, gives PSA, NSO and local civil registry certificates "permanent validity regardless of the date of issuance", provided the document is intact and readable (Sec. 3). DO 017, s. 2025 cites the law in its rationale.

### Special cases

| Learner | Minimum requirement at enrollment | Later in the year |
|---|---|---|
| From an international school with a congressional franchise or presidential decree | Birth certificate or secondary document; for a non-Filipino, an authenticated birth certificate from the country of origin | Latest SF 9 or equivalent; no PEPT |
| From a Philippine school overseas or a foreign school abroad | The same | Apostille of the academic record; PEPT for learners who did not finish the school year abroad or need grade placement; the school decides the grade level and may ask the SDO for help |
| From a school without a government permit or recognition | PEPT Certificate of Rating; birth certificate or secondary document | None |
| Displaced by a calamity or conflict | "Any proof of identity"; the school asks the SDO to search the LIS for the learner's record | SF 9 or SF 10, if available |
| Persons deprived of liberty and residents of rehabilitation facilities, in ALS | A certificate of identity from the warden, or any proof of identity | None |

Source: DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VII.b.

## The Kindergarten age rule

DO 015, s. 2025, issued on June 4, 2025, changed the cutoff from SY 2025-2026. "Age qualification for Kindergarten learners should be five years old by October 31 of every calendar year" (item 2). A child who turns five from November 1 to December 31 may be admitted if the child:

1. has completed an early childhood care and development program for one school year, shown by a certificate of completion or attendance from a Child Development Center or learning center with a government permit or recognition; or
2. undergoes the Philippine Early Childhood Development (ECD) Checklist, "in order to ensure that the learner is capable of meeting the expectations of the kindergarten level", given by the Kindergarten teachers of the receiving school "during the enrollment period until the first week of the school year". The results are "the basis of the school in admission to Kindergarten", and the checklist becomes part of the learner's records (item 2).

The order repealed DepEd Order No. 20, s. 2018 (item 4), under which a child had to be five by June 1, or by the end of August if the ECD Checklist was administered. DO 017, s. 2025 applies the rule through its reference to "the existing Kindergarten Education Policy" (Sec. V.C and VI.B). Grade 1 has no separate age rule; its requirement is the completion of Kindergarten.

## How enrollment works

### Enrollment week and the forms

"The enrollment period shall be conducted one week before the official start and opening of classes or as directed by the Department" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VI.A). What each learner does depends on the grade (Sec. VIII.A.a):

- **Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 7 and Grade 11.** The parents or guardians "shall communicate/reaffirm their intent to enroll their children in the school of their choice", using the Basic Education Enrollment Form (Annex B).
- **Grades 2 to 6, 8 to 10 and 12.** Learners who already have a Learner Reference Number (LRN) in the LIS "shall only be required to accomplish and submit a confirmation slip" (Annex C).
- **Balik-Aral learners.** They "shall only physically submit their SF 9 or report card to their school of choice."
- **Learners of legal age** enroll themselves. A minor may also submit the form, signed by a parent or guardian (Sec. VIII.A).

The BEEF asks, among other things, for the PSA birth certificate number if available, the mother tongue, the family's membership in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), any disability or learning difficulty, and the last school attended for returning and transferring learners.

Schools are "encouraged to implement an in-person enrollment modality", but they may add remote enrollment (Sec. VIII):

- **Online enrollment.** Families send the digital form or slip to the school's official e-mail address or an authorized messaging platform (Sec. VIII.B.a).
- **Drop-box enrollment.** Printed forms are placed in drop boxes at the school gate and, if the school chooses, at barangay halls. The School Enrollment Focal Person collects them and passes them to grade-level coordinators and prospective advisers, who encode them in the LIS. Families who need help filling out the form "shall be assisted by the school" (Sec. VIII.B.b).

### No fees and no sale of forms

No voluntary fees may be collected "as a prerequisite for registration and enrollment in basic education in public schools", and the forms "are not for sale and may be duplicated solely for this purpose" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VI.C). The rule rests on [DepEd Order No. 19, s. 2008](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2008/03/19/do-19-s-2008-implementation-of-no-collection-policy-in-all-public-elementary-and-secondary-schools/), under which no fees are collected from Kindergarten to Grade 4 at any time, and above Grade 4 "no collection of any type should be undertaken during the enrolment period and the first month of classes" (items 1 and 2). The PTA guidelines add that "In no case shall the non-payment of VSCs be made as a basis for non-admission" ([DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2022](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2022/03/18/march-18-2022-do-013-s-2022-omnibus-guidelines-on-the-regulation-of-operations-of-the-parent-teacher-associations/), Sec. 26.2.3.8). The guide to [unauthorized school fees](https://nash.com.ph/blog/unauthorized-school-fees-principal-cases) shows what happens to principals who collect them.

### Late enrollment

DO 017, s. 2025 let a school accept late enrollees who could still meet 80% of the school days and the quarterly requirements, and let the school head accept others "under acceptable circumstances" with catch-up activities (Sec. VI.D). DO 009, s. 2026 amended the enrollment provisions for the three-term calendar:

> Late enrollees shall be admitted provided that they meet the eighty percent (80%) of the prescribed number of class days, or enroll not later than the conduct of the second summative test in Term 1. (Encl., item 34)

For SY 2026-2027, the second teacher-made summative test of Term 1 was set for July 28, 2026 (DO 009, s. 2026, Annex B). A learner who enrolls by that date is admitted. DO 009 does not repeat DO 017's clause on the school head's discretion for learners beyond the limit, and it does not forbid admitting them either; no issuance has settled whether that discretion survives. The safer course is to admit within item 34 and, for a later case, to consult the SDO and record the catch-up plan.

Three groups are not bound by the cutoff. Learners with disabilities have no enrollment deadline: "there are no late enrollees for LWDs since they shall be accepted and encoded by the LIS/ICT Coordinator in the LIS anytime of the school year" ([DepEd Order No. 023, s. 2022](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2022/05/25/may-25-2022-do-023-s-2022-child-find-policy-for-learners-with-disabilities-towards-inclusive-education/), Sec. VI). ALS learners who enroll after classes begin "shall still be accepted" ([DepEd Order No. 001, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/01/19/january-19-2026-do-001-s-2026-implementing-guidelines-of-the-enhanced-alternative-learning-system/), item 18). Transferees are a separate case, below.

### Transfers and temporarily enrolled learners

A transferee from a school in the Philippines submits the SF 9 "signed by the School Head or a letter certifying the last grade level the learner completed, signed by the School Registrar" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VII.a). DO 009, s. 2026 admits learners transferring within the school year "subject to the submission and transfer of official academic records including BOSY assessment results" (Encl., item 35).

| Situation | What the receiving school does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The learner lacks the required records | Enrolls the learner, who is "considered temporarily enrolled" | DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. IX.A.b.i; Sec. IV.r |
| The learner may already have an LRN | Asks the SDO Planning Officer to check the learner's history in the LIS before issuing a new LRN, "to avoid duplication of LRN" | Sec. IX.A.b |
| The records are elsewhere | Requests them through the LIS; "Schools shall not compel learners and/or their parents/legal guardians to take responsibility for the transmission of school records" | Sec. IX.B.a |
| The learner left a private school with unpaid fees | Accepts the learner and helps the parent execute an affidavit of undertaking; the private school tags the learner temporarily enrolled in the LIS | Sec. IX.A.b.ii |
| A Grade 6 or Grade 10 completer moves to Grade 7 or Grade 11 elsewhere | The schools may exchange scanned SF 9 or SF 10 through their official e-mail addresses | Sec. IX.B.b |

A temporarily enrolled learner from a private school may join the end-of-school-year rites. "No learner shall be denied participation in EOSY rites on the basis of unsettled financial or property obligations", but until the previous school releases the credentials the learner "cannot be officially promoted to a higher grade level nor officially graduate in the Department's systems" ([DepEd Memorandum No. 023, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/03/27/march-27-2026-dm-023-s-2026-clarification-on-the-participation-of-temporarily-enrolled-learners-in-end-of-school-year-rites/), items 2.a and 3.b). The guide to [school records and the CAV](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-school-records-cav-school-forms) covers the request and transfer of SF 10 and the deadlines.

## Enrollment data and privacy

Class advisers encode the BEEF data in the LIS BOSY module "starting the first week of the opening of classes", and every school registers its learners in the LIS (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. IX.A.b). The data must be used only for "specified, explicit, legitimate purposes of enrollment" and related education work (Sec. X.A), seen only by authorized personnel "on a need-to-know basis" (Sec. X.B), and kept off public channels: personal information shall not be disclosed "to the public (i.e., social media accounts of the school, teachers, officials) without the explicit consent of the learner and their parents or legal guardian", unless "required by law or necessary for the legitimate purposes of the data controller" (Sec. X.C). Early registration forms, enrollment forms and confirmation slips "shall not be retained for a period longer than one (1) year", after which they are disposed of under DepEd's records rules (Sec. X.C).

## What this means for school heads

1. **Prepare before late January.** Name the non-teaching staff for the Early Registration Desk, plan the capability mapping for the LSCP (DO 014, s. 2026), put up the form in the local language if needed, and plan the advocacy with the barangay and the district supervisor, aimed at the groups in Sec. V.B: learners with disabilities, children in remote or off-grid areas, displaced and undocumented children, and those who left school.
2. **Encode daily.** The Early Registration Facility is updated "daily" through the school head's or school administrator's account (Sec. IX.A.a). Check the encoded counts against the forms each week.
3. **Turn the data into the plan.** Compare the expected Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 7 and Grade 11 entrants with your classrooms, teachers and seats. Report a shortfall to the SDO early, since the SDO and the LGU identify areas with "low absorptive capacity" (Sec. V). Class programs and teaching loads drawn from the data serve [PPSSH Domain 2](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-2-managing-school-operations), indicator 2.4.2.
4. **Accept every learner, then complete the papers.** A missing PSA certificate, report card or SF 10 delays the paperwork, not the enrollment. Use secondary documents, the temporarily enrolled tag and LIS requests, and never send parents to fetch records.
5. **Keep enrollment free.** No fee, voluntary contribution or sale of forms may be tied to registration or enrollment (Sec. VI.C).
6. **Watch the deadlines after opening.** Admit late enrollees who enroll by Term 1's second summative test, or later while they can still meet 80% of class days. Make sure every learner without a PSA birth certificate has a secondary document on file by October 31. Have records transferred "before the end of the first grading period", which under the three-term calendar is presumably Term 1, though no issuance says so, and within 30 days for learners who transfer in during the year (Sec. IX.B.a).
7. **Protect the data.** Keep learners' forms and documents in a locked file or a restricted folder, post no learner lists on social media, and dispose of the forms after one year.
8. **Know the policy and explain it.** Teachers, parents and barangay officials will ask about the cutoff age and the requirements. Implementing and reviewing the policy so that "school operations are consistent with national and local laws, regulations and issuances" is the work of [PPSSH Domain 1](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-1-leading-strategically), indicators 1.3.1 and 1.3.2.

## How the NASH may test this

The items below are original practice items, scored 3 (Relational), 2 (Multistructural), 1 (Unistructural) or 0 (Prestructural). An option that breaks a rule scores 0.

### Question 1

*Indicator 2.1.2, Records management. Career Stage 2, Situational, Moderate.*

You are the school head of a public elementary school in a growing town. In the second week of classes, a mother brings her son to enroll in Grade 4. The family moved from another province for work, and she has no report card or birth certificate with her. The registrar says the boy cannot be enrolled until his records arrive, and suggests that the mother go back to the former school to get them. What is the most appropriate action?

- **A.** Enroll the boy and tag him temporarily enrolled, then have the school request his records from the former school through the LIS while he attends classes.
- **B.** Enroll the boy as a regular learner in Grade 4 and let him attend classes, then wait for the former school to send his records to the school by mail or courier.
- **C.** Let the boy sit in a Grade 4 class as a guest while the mother secures a new PSA birth certificate, and enroll him in the LIS once she submits it.
- **D.** Ask the mother to bring the boy's report card from the former school first, since a transferee needs the record before the school can enroll him.

**Answer and explanation**

**Best answer: A.** Points: A = 3, B = 2, C = 1, D = 0.

- **A (3 points, Relational).** It enrolls the learner at once, tags him correctly while his records are missing, and makes the school responsible for getting the records through the LIS.
- **B (2 points, Multistructural).** It enrolls the learner and keeps him in class, but it skips the temporarily enrolled tag and the LIS request, so his status and records are left to chance.
- **C (1 point, Unistructural).** It keeps the boy in school, but a "guest" is not enrolled, and he already submitted a birth certificate in Kindergarten, which is required only once.
- **D (0 points, Prestructural).** It turns the learner away until a record arrives, although a transferee who lacks the requirements "shall be considered temporarily enrolled" and transferees "shall be admitted"; it also leaves the transfer of records to the parent.

**Why.** This aligns with Career Stage 2 expectations because indicator 2.1.2 asks the school head to manage school data and records with technology, here the LIS, so that operations run well. DO 017, s. 2025 says learners who lack the transfer requirements "shall be considered temporarily enrolled" (Sec. IX.A.b.i), that a birth certificate is submitted once from Kindergarten to Grade 12 (Sec. VII), and that schools request records and "shall not compel" parents to carry them (Sec. IX.B.a). The option that enrolls him as a regular learner gets the admission right but leaves out the tag and the request that complete his records.

*Indicator 2.1.2: Manage school data and information using technology, including ICT, to ensure efficient and effective school operations.*

*Sources: DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025, Sec. VII, VII.a, IX.A.b and IX.B.a; DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026, Encl., item 35.*

### Question 2

*Indicator 1.3.1, Policy implementation and review. Career Stage 1, Conceptual, Easy.*

A parent asks why the public school holds early registration in January and February when classes open only in June. Which statement best explains its purpose under DepEd's enrollment policy?

- **A.** It counts the new entrants early so the school can plan its classrooms and teachers, and it assures each learner who registers early of a slot in June.
- **B.** It lets the school check each learner's documents ahead of time so that the advisers can finish the enrollment of new learners faster in June.
- **C.** It counts the new entrants early so the school and the division can plan teachers and classrooms, and it reaches children who might not otherwise enroll.
- **D.** It takes the place of enrollment for incoming Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 7 and Grade 11 learners, so these learners need not report to the school in enrollment week.

**Answer and explanation**

**Best answer: C.** Points: A = 2, B = 1, C = 3, D = 0.

- **A (2 points, Multistructural).** It names the planning purpose, but it adds a promise the policy rules out: early registration "does not guarantee official enrollment".
- **B (1 point, Unistructural).** Documents are shown at early registration, but only "for verification purposes", and speeding up enrollment week is not the reason for it.
- **C (3 points, Relational).** It joins the two purposes in the policy: projecting the new entrants for planning and resource allocation, and an advocacy campaign that reaches children who might otherwise miss school.
- **D (0 points, Prestructural).** Pre-registered learners "are not considered officially enrolled"; families of new entrants still confirm their intent to enroll during enrollment week.

**Why.** This aligns with Career Stage 1 expectations because indicator 1.3.1 asks for knowledge and understanding of how a policy is implemented in the school. DO 017, s. 2025 says early registration "demonstrates new entrants' projection aiding schools in planning and resource allocation" but "does not guarantee official enrollment" (Sec. V), and its advocacy campaign must reach out-of-school and hard-to-reach children (Sec. V.B). The option that promises a slot gets the planning purpose right but misreads what registration secures.

*Indicator 1.3.1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of policy implementation and review to ensure that school operations are consistent with national and local laws, regulations and issuances.*

*Sources: DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025, Sec. IV.o, V, V.B, V.C and VIII.A.a.*

Nothing in this guide reproduces or predicts examination content.

## Frequently asked questions

### When is DepEd early registration for SY 2027-2028?

The school calendar in DO 009, s. 2026 sets it from Saturday, January 30, to Friday, February 26, 2027, following DO 017, s. 2025's rule of the last Saturday of January to the last Friday of February. The SDO may extend it. DepEd may confirm the schedule in a memorandum.

### Do Grade 2 or Grade 8 learners need to early register?

No. Learners going up to Grades 2 to 6, 8 to 10 and 12 "are considered pre-registered" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. V.A). In enrollment week, those with an LRN submit only a confirmation slip (Sec. VIII.A.a). Transferees into the school are the exception: they early register.

### What are the requirements for early registration?

For Kindergarten and Grade 1, a PSA birth certificate or a secondary document, plus the Kindergarten certificate for Grade 1 if available. For Grade 7 or Grade 11, the Grade 6 or Grade 10 report card (SF 9), or a PEPT or A&E Certificate of Rating with a birth certificate or secondary document. They are shown, not handed over: they "are not subject to collection and are only for verification purposes" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. V.C).

### What is the age requirement for Kindergarten?

Five years old "by October 31 of every calendar year": for SY 2027-2028, by October 31, 2027. A child who turns five between November 1 and December 31 may be admitted after one school year in an early childhood program with a government permit or recognition, or on the results of the Philippine ECD Checklist given by the school's Kindergarten teachers (DO 015, s. 2025, item 2).

### Can a school refuse a learner who has no PSA birth certificate?

No. The learner enrolls on a secondary document, such as a barangay certification, a baptismal certificate or an affidavit of undertaking, which may be submitted until October 31, and submits the PSA birth certificate once it is available (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. VII). The policy's principle is that "all types of learners ... shall be accepted" (Sec. V.C).

## Sources

DepEd issuances:

- [DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/13/june-13-2025-do-017-s-2025-revised-basic-education-enrollment-policy/), Revised Basic Education Enrollment Policy, June 13, 2025: Secs. II, IV to X and XI.D, and Annexes A to C.
- [DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/04/16/april-16-2026-do-009-s-2026-guidelines-on-the-implementation-of-the-three-term-school-calendar-in-basic-education/), Guidelines on the Implementation of the Three-Term School Calendar in Basic Education, April 16, 2026: items 4 and 5; Encl., items 34 and 35; Annex B (SY 2026-2027 calendar).
- [DepEd Order No. 012, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/04/15/april-15-2025-do-012-s-2025-multi-year-implementing-guidelines-on-the-school-calendar-and-activities/), Multi-year Implementing Guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities, April 15, 2025 (repealed by DO 009, s. 2026): the SY 2025-2026 calendar.
- [DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/04/june-4-2025-do-015-s-2025-amendment-to-deped-order-no-47-s-2016-omnibus-policy-on-kindergarten-education-as-amended-by-deped-order-no-020-s-2018/), Amendment to DepEd Order No. 47, s. 2016 (Omnibus Policy on Kindergarten Education) as Amended by DepEd Order No. 020, s. 2018, June 4, 2025: items 2 and 4.
- DepEd Order No. 20, s. 2018, Amendment to DepEd Order No. 47, s. 2016, Otherwise Known as the "Omnibus Policy on Kindergarten Education", April 19, 2018 (repealed by DO 015, s. 2025): item 5.A.
- [DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/06/04/june-4-2026-do-014-s-2026-guidelines-on-learning-continuity-in-emergencies/), Guidelines on Learning Continuity in Emergencies, June 4, 2026: Encl., item 28.
- [DepEd Order No. 001, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/01/19/january-19-2026-do-001-s-2026-implementing-guidelines-of-the-enhanced-alternative-learning-system/), Implementing Guidelines of the Enhanced Alternative Learning System, January 19, 2026: item 18.
- [DepEd Order No. 023, s. 2022](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2022/05/25/may-25-2022-do-023-s-2022-child-find-policy-for-learners-with-disabilities-towards-inclusive-education/), Child Find Policy for Learners with Disabilities Towards Inclusive Education, May 25, 2022: Sec. VI.
- [DepEd Order No. 013, s. 2022](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2022/03/18/march-18-2022-do-013-s-2022-omnibus-guidelines-on-the-regulation-of-operations-of-the-parent-teacher-associations/), Omnibus Guidelines on the Regulation of Operations of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), March 18, 2022: Sec. 26.2.3.8.
- [DepEd Order No. 19, s. 2008](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2008/03/19/do-19-s-2008-implementation-of-no-collection-policy-in-all-public-elementary-and-secondary-schools/), Implementation of No Collection Policy in All Public Elementary and Secondary Schools, March 19, 2008: items 1 and 2.
- [DepEd Memorandum No. 023, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/03/27/march-27-2026-dm-023-s-2026-clarification-on-the-participation-of-temporarily-enrolled-learners-in-end-of-school-year-rites/), Clarification on the Participation of Temporarily Enrolled Learners in End-of-School-Year Rites, March 27, 2026: items 2 and 3.
- DepEd Region VIII, [Regional Memorandum No. 122, s. 2026](https://region8.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/RM-No.-122-s.-2026-PPRD-HNC-2226.pdf), Conduct of Early Registration for SY 2026-2027 and Reiteration of DepEd Order No. 017, Series of 2025, February 2, 2026: items 1 and 4.

Law:

- [Republic Act No. 11909](https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11909_2022.html), Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Act, lapsed into law on July 28, 2022: Sec. 3.

*Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: DepEd Orders No. 017, s. 2025, No. 009, s. 2026, No. 012, s. 2025, No. 015, s. 2025, No. 014, s. 2026, No. 001, s. 2026, No. 023, s. 2022, No. 013, s. 2022 and No. 19, s. 2008; DepEd Memorandum No. 023, s. 2026; DepEd Region VIII Regional Memorandum No. 122, s. 2026; RA 11909.*

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