Policy and Procedural Guidelines on the Certification, Authentication and Verification of Basic Education School Records

August 25, 2017

DEPED ORDER NO. 048-17

POLICY AND PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES ON THE CERTIFICATION, AUTHENTICATION AND VERIFICATION OF BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOL RECORDS

 

1. The Department of Education (DepEd) issues the enclosed Policy and Procedural Guidelines on the Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) of Basic Education School Records.

2. This DepEd Order aims to provide proper and appropriate guidance and direction to all concerned with a standard and uniform policy, procedures, and guidelines in the processing of CAV transactions pertaining to Basic Education School Records.

3. All other DepEd issuances, rules, and regulations, which are inconsistent with these guidelines and procedures are deemed amended accordingly upon its effectivity.

4. This Order shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

5. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

(SGD.) LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONESSecretary

 

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index

AUTHENTICATION	PROCEDURE
CERTIFICATION	RECORDS
LEARNERS	RULES AND REGULATIONS
POLICY	SCHOOLS

 

(Enclosure to DepEd Order No. 48, s. 2017)

POLICY AND PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES ON THE CERTIFICATION, AUTHENTICATION AND VERIFICATION OF BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOL RECORDS

I. RATIONALE

School records define and perpetuate the educational status of a person and, most importantly, influence his/her future undertakings, regardless of professional, and/or otherwise, levels. The availability and accessibility thereof must, therefore, be assured. Foremost is that its reliability and authenticity should be guaranteed at all times.

The Department of Education, as the premier public institution with a pronounced vision and mission and core values that are learner - centered, is the custodian of the school records of all learners in the basic formal and non-formal educational systems. As such, it receives requests from these former/current learners for the production and certification of their school records in relation to valid purposes such as, but not limited to, employment abroad, migration to foreign land, travel to overseas, and other personal reasons. The school records so requested are those required to be authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs pursuant to existing national and international regulations.

This Department Order provides a unified and comprehensive set of standards, procedures, and guidelines in the processing of Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) of school records. It seeks to achieve the following objectives: cSEDTC

a. To give proper guidance and policy direction to all officials, officers and personnel concerned in the processing of requests for CAV;

b. To simplify the requests, processes and procedures in handling CAV transactions;

c. To identify the roles, responsibility and accountability of all personnel involved in the processing of CAV requests;

d. To ensure a standard and uniform processing of CAV requests by personnel concerned thru the step-by-step procedures set forth herein; and

e. To establish sustained mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of this Policy and Procedural Guidelines (PPG), and the appropriate elevation and resolution of interpretation and implementation issues, problems and concerns.

II. SCOPE OF THE POLICY

For the purpose of this Policy and Procedural Guidelines (PPG), the following shall be covered in its application and implementation as defined under Section III hereunder:

a. Academic School Records

b. Certifying Officers

c. Learners

d. Public and Private Learning Institutions on Basic Education

III. DEFINITION OF TERMS

For the purpose of this Order, the following terms are defined/understood as follows:

a. Academic School Records (ASR) — refers to different education-related documents attesting to the level of academic completion or accomplishment of a learner in the formal system or Alternative Learning System (ALS) that an applicant can request for a Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) as required for authentication by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). It shall include any, or all of, the following:

i. Elementary/Secondary Diploma

ii. Form 137

iii. Form 138

iv. Report of Rating in the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) or Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT)

b. Alternative Learning System (ALS) Accreditation and Equivalency Test (A&E Tests) — refers to nationally-administered tests that aim to measure the competencies and life skills of those who have not attended or finished the formal elementary or secondary education. These assessments allow learners to obtain certification of completion at different exits in Basic Education, which may be used to access further education, job promotion, entry to job training, and employment.

c. Applicant — refers to a person who applies for or requests for his/her Academic School Records for Certification, Authentication and Verification purposes only; in any event of his/her physical absence, the applicant may be substituted by a duly authorized representative as defined below.

d. Basic Education School Records — refers to any of the documents defined under Section III (a) above evidencing the level of academic completion or accomplishment of a learner which encompasses kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education as well as alternative learning systems for out-of-school-learners and those with special needs.

e. Certification, Authentication, and Verification (CAV) — refers to an official and formal processes and acts of checking, reviewing, and certifying to the genuineness and veracity of available academic school records of a learner duly performed by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) pursuant to existing arrangements by the said Departments; and shall be issued to the applicant only for any of the following applicable purposes and as required by DFA:

i. Employment abroad

ii. Seaman's Book/Seafarer's Registration Certificate

iii. Migration abroad

iv. Student visa

v. Tourist visa

vi. Fiancé visa

vii. Descendant's visa

viii. Reimbursement of educational allowance/tuition fees of children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

ix. Such other purposes as may be required in writing by the DFA

f. Certification of Academic Level Completed — refers to a document issued by duly authorized and competent authorities certifying to a learner's level of academic completion in the formal education system.

g. Certification of English as Medium of Instruction — refers to a document issued by duly authorized and competent authorities certifying that the language used in teaching in a learning institution is English.

h. Certification of English Translation of Diploma — refers to a document issued by duly authorized and competent authorities certifying to the translation in the English language of school records in non-English language.

i. Certification of Graduation — refers to a document issued by duly authorized and competent authorities certifying, based on incontestable school records, the name of the learner, his/her year of graduation and Learner's Reference Number (LRN) issued by DepEd; and, in the case of private schools, the learner's Special Order Number upon graduation from secondary course.

j. Certification — refers to the official and formal process and act of attesting to any relevant information pertaining to the academic level of accomplishment of a learner based on his/her existing and verifiable school records as certified to by duly authorized and competent authorities. The Certification covers information as disclosed in the said school records and defined appropriately in this Section, as follows: SDAaTC

i. Academic Level Completed

ii. English as Medium of Instruction

iii. English Translation of Diploma

iv. Graduation

k. Certifying Officers — refers to those who are authorized by this Order to certify to the Academic School Records of a learner as enumerated in this Section. They are either appointed or designated by duly-constituted authorities, as follows:

i. Records Custodian/Registrar

ii. School Heads

iii. Division Records Officer

iv. Administrative Officer V for Administrative Section

v. Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

vi. Schools Division Superintendent

vii. Regional Records Officer

viii. Regional Chief Administrative Officer, Administrative Division

ix. Assistant Regional Director

x. Regional Director

tag For the purpose of issuance of the Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) Form, the signature and approval therein shall be by the Regional Director or Assistant Regional Director or Regional Chief Administrative Officer, Administrative Division, in the said signing authority order.

l. Elementary/Secondary Diploma — refers to the academic record issued by a learning institution which certifies that a learner has successfully completed the academic requirements for graduation prescribed by the Department of Education for Elementary and Secondary Schools.

m. Foreign or International Schools — refers to schools duly established and authorized in accordance with the existing Philippine laws to operate certain educational programs that primarily and principally adhere to either universally accepted and recognized educational policies and standards or the unique differentially prescribed system of education of a particular country other than the Philippines.

n. Form 137 — refers to the permanent school learner record showing the historical academic and co-curricular records of the learner.

o. Form 138 — refers to the document showing the academic performance of a learner in a given school year.

p. Learner — refers to a pupil or student in the formal system, or in the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

q. Learning Institutions — refers to schools, both public and private, including those Philippine Schools based overseas and Foreign or International Schools based in the Philippines, duly accredited and/or recognized by the Department of Education authorized to offer any of the following Basic Education Program:

i. Kindergarten education — shall mean one (1) year of preparatory education for children at least five (5) years old as a pre-requisite for Grade 1.

ii. Elementary education — refers to the second stage of compulsory basic education which is composed of six (6) years.

iii. Secondary education — refers to the third stage of compulsory basic education consisting of four (4) years of junior high school education and two (2) years of senior high school education.

r. Philippine Schools Overseas — are duly registered educational institutions operating outside the Philippines and implementing the basic education curriculum of DepEd, purposely to address the educational needs of children of Filipinos and eventually facilitate their reintegration into the Philippine Education System.

s. Philippine Education Placement Test (PEPT) — refers to nationally-administered assessment for learners in special circumstances the result of which allow learners to access or resume schooling and/or obtain certification of completion by grade level in the DepEd formal system.

t. Representative — refers to a person duly authorized in writing through a valid Special Power of Attorney (SPA) executed by the applicant specifically stating the name of the representative and the purpose for its issuance.

tag In the case of a minor learner, the application may be filed by any of the following, subject to the presentation of a valid proof of affinity to the minor learner as stated hereunder:

i. Parent — Birth Certificate of the minor learner

ii. Brother or Sister of legal age — Birth Certificates of the minor learner and the brother or sister

iii. Legal Guardian — Court Order

u. Secondary Evidence — refers to documentary evidences to support any claim of graduation from, or completion of, any level in formal educational system when school records are reported lost, damaged or destroyed; in which case, the applicant must submit any of the following to support his/her claim:

i. Sworn Statement of any two (2) of the applicant's classmates, principals, or teachers; and supported by either the school graduation photos, souvenir program, or graduation program; or

ii. Duly certified copy of either Form 137 or Form 138 of the learner on file in any Tertiary Learning Institutions; or diploma/transcript of records on file in the learner's current/previous employer/s.

v. Special Order (SO) — an authority issued by the Department of Education as a requirement for the graduation of students from the formal secondary level in private schools, on a certain date, and is granted conditionally upon the successful completion of the requirements therefor.

IV. POLICY STATEMENT

It is the declared policy of the Department of Education that learners, regardless of their level of educational accomplishments, whether in the formal or informal systems, have the right to information on and access to their basic education school records without inconveniencing them. Further, it is also guaranteed that the Department shall afford full protection to any learner's right to security and confidentiality of his/her records. Finally, these learners' school records must be protected and safeguarded in accordance with standards on records management and custodianship in order to ensure the integrity, accessibility and timely release thereof. acEHCD

V. PROCEDURES ON THE PROCESSING OF CAV

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. An Applicant, or in his/her absence, his/her duly authorized representative, shall fill-out a CAV Request Form (RF) for any of the following Academic School Records (ASR):

a. Elementary/Secondary Diploma

b. Form 137

c. Form 138

d. Report of Rating in the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) or Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT)

2. The issuance of CAV shall be for a specific purpose only as defined in Section III (e) of this PPG.

3. Special Order (SO) Number must be indicated in the Diploma and Certificate of Graduation issued by private secondary schools. In any case where SO No. is not available, the School Head should not act favorably on the RF of the Applicant.

4. In case of lost, damaged or destroyed documents, inform the applicant accordingly. However, the applicant should be advised to produce any of the following as maybe basis for the reconstruction of Academic School Records:

a. Sworn Statement of any two (2) of the applicant's classmates, principals, or teachers; and supported by either the school graduation photos, souvenir program, or graduation program; or

b. Duly certified copy of either Form 137 or Form 138 of the learner on file in any Tertiary Learning Institutions; or diploma/transcript of records on file in the learner's current/previous employer/s.

5. In case of lost diploma, reconstructed diploma shall be issued for CAV purposes only upon presentation of any of the abovementioned requirements under preceding item number 4.

6. The reconstruction of a Diploma shall be subject to submission of incontestable proofs of a Learner's completion of the academic requirements of the appropriate academic program; provided that the contents of the diploma shall strictly follow the DepEd-prescribed format.

7. The translation in English Language of a valid diploma stated in pure Filipino Version shall be the function of the School concerned, subject to the approval thereof by the Division Office.

8. No service fees shall be charged from any applicant for Certification, Authentication, and Verification (CAV).

9. The issuance of CAV shall be the function and responsibility of the Records Section in DepEd Regional Offices.

10. All Schools Division Offices shall submit the following documents (in soft and/or hard copy) to their respective DepEd Regional Offices:

a. Enrolment List per school within 60 days after the opening of classes;

b. List of School Graduates and School Form 5 (Report on Promotion and Learning Progress and Achievement), not later than 30 days from the date of graduation; and in the case of graduates from private secondary schools, the List of Graduates with Special Order Number; and

c. Updated list of school heads and their respective specimen signatures, within 30 days before the opening of classes.

11. All Regional Offices shall submit to the DFA thru its official e-mail accounts ([email protected] or [email protected]) its updated list of authorized signatories on CAV with their specimen signatures.

NARRATIVE PROCEDURES

A. AT THE SCHOOL

 

B. AT THE SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE

Note: Only the following cases shall be handled in the Division Office:

1. Referral from the school of the non-availability of Academic School Record.

2. Results of rating on Alternative Learning Systems A&E Test and Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT).

3. Schools that ceased operation for whatever causes wherein the learners' school records are required to be surrendered to the Department of Education pursuant to existing regulations under Department Order 88 s. 2010 dated June 24, 2010.

 

1. Referral from the school of the non-availability of Academic School Record

 

 

2. Results of Rating on Alternative Learning Systems A&E Test and Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT)

 

3. Schools that ceased operation

 

C. AT THE REGIONAL OFFICE

 

 

Flowchart of Procedures

 

D. ELEVATION AND RESOLUTION OF ISSUES, CONCERNS AND PROBLEMS

Any issues, concerns, or problems arising from the interpretation and/or implementation of any provisions in this PPG, and those that are not properly covered herein, shall be appropriately elevated to the Director of the Administrative Service, DepEd Central Office for proper disposition. SDHTEC

For this purpose, the elevation mechanism herein provided shall follow the proper level of authority and certification laid down in this PPG.

VI. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Strict compliance of this policy by all units and personnel concerned shall be regularly monitored by the DepEd Central Office, thru its Project Manager-Records Division, Administrative Service. Proper coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs shall also be undertaken by the said Office for the determination of the level of observance of the established protocols set forth herein, specifically in the areas of processing time effectiveness and for any incidence of fraudulent certifications.

Proper evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of this PPG in addressing all matters covered herein shall also be undertaken in order to further improve its service mechanisms as appropriately provided.

It is herein provided that appropriate trainings and seminars for all certifying officers identified in this PPG shall be conducted within two (2) months from the effectivity hereof. The Records Division-Administrative Service, DepEd Central Office shall extend the necessary proper guidance and support accordingly.

VII. REFERENCES

Republic Act No. 10533, s. 2013 — "An Act Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education System by Strengthening Its Curriculum and Increasing the Numbers of Years for Basic Education, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes"

Executive Order No. 292, s. 1987 — "Instituting the Administrative Code of 1987"

Executive Order No. 252, s. 2000 — "Establishing the Inter-Agency Committee on Philippine Schools Overseas, Defining its Composition, Structure, and Functions"

Executive Order No. 582, s. 2006 — "Streamlining the Process of Authenticating Documents Intended for Use Abroad and Transferring the Authentication Office from the Office of the President to the Department of Foreign Affairs"

Vienna Convention of 1963 on consular relation

DepEd Order No. 61, s. 1975 — "Issuance of Special Order for Graduation"

DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2003 — "Issuance of Transferees from Philippine Schools Overseas"

DepEd Order No. 63, s. 2004 — "Revocation Fees for Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV)"

DepEd Order No. 88, s. 2010 — "2010 Revised Manual of Regulations for Private Schools in Basic Education"

DepEd Order No. 54, s. 2016 — "Guidelines on the Request and Transfer of Learner's School Records"

DepEd Order No. 55, s. 2016 — "Policy Guidelines on the National Assessment of Student Learning for the K to 12 Basic Education Program"

DepEd Order No. 72, s. 2016 — "Department of Education People's Freedom of Information Manual and Implementing Details"

DepEd Memorandum No. 53, s. 2007 — "Creation of a Task Force on Certification/Authentication/Verification (CAV) of Elementary and Secondary Education Diploma and Official Transcript of Records"

DepEd Memorandum No. 315, s. 2007 — "Orientation on the use of the Records Management Operations Manual and Standard Procedures on the Processing of Certification, Authentication andVerification(CAV) of School Records"

DepEd Memorandum No. 338, s. 2007 — "Addenda to DepEd Memorandum No. 315, S. 2007 (Orientation on the use of the Records Operations Manual and Standard Procedures on the Processing of Certification, Authentication, and Verification (CAV) of School Records)"

DepEd Memorandum No. 381, s. 2007 — "Guidelines on the Issuance of Certification, Authentication and Verification,(CAV) of Elementary and Secondary Education Diploma, Official Transcript of Records, and other School Records"

DepEd Memorandum No. 62, s. 2016 — "Change in DepEd Memorandum No. 381, s. 2007 (Guidelines on the Issuance of Certification, Authentication and Verification(CAV) of Elementary and Secondary Education Diploma, Official Transcript of Records, and Other School Records)"

DepEd Memorandum No. 188, s. 2016 — "Modified Format of the Claim Stub for Department of Foreign Affairs Authentication"

DepEd Records Management Operations Manual

DepEd Vision and Mission

DepEd 10-Point Agenda by Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones

VIII. EFFECTIVITY

This PPG shall take effect immediately.

IX. FORMS

For the purpose of this Order, the following Forms shall be used in processing of CAV transactions:

Annex A — CAV Form 1-Request Form (RF)

Annex B — CAV Form 2-School Referral to Division Office

Annex C — CAV Form 3-Indorsement for Correction of Entries in the Academic School Records (ASR)

Annex D — CAV Form 4-Certification of Enrolment/Completion /Graduation

Annex E — CAV Form 5-School Transmittal to the Regional Office

Annex F — CAV Form 6-List of Approved CAV Request

Annex G — CAV Form 7-Certification of Non-availability of Academic School Records in the Division Office

Annex H — CAV Form 8-Return Indorsement of the Schools Division Office to the School

Annex I — CAV Form 9-Certification of Discrepancy/ies

Annex J — CAV Form 10-Request Form (RF) for ALS A&E and PEPT Ratings

Annex K — CAV Form 11-Certification of Non-availability of the Rating (A&E and PEPT)

Annex L — CAV Form 12-Certification of Rating (A&E/PEPT)

Annex M — CAV Form 13-Division Office Transmittal to the Regional Office

Annex N — CAV Form 14-List of Approved CAV Request

Annex O — CAV Form 15-CAV Application Form

Annex P — CAV Form 16-CAV

Claim Stub for DFA Authentication

Master List of Documents for DFA Authentication

Annex Q — CAV Form 17-Certification of English as Medium of Instruction

All units and personnel concerned shall be provided with soft copy of the Forms herein prescribed for uniform use.

 

ANNEX A

 

CAV Form 1 — Request Form-School (RF)

ANNEX B

 

CAV Form 2 — School Referral to Division Office

ANNEX C

 

CAV Form 3 — Indorsement for Correction of Entries in the Academic School Records

 

ANNEX D

CAV Form 4 — Certification of Enrolment/Completion/Graduation

 

ANNEX E

CAV Form 5 — School Transmittal to the Regional Office

 

ANNEX F

CAV Form 6 — List of Approved CAV Request

 

ANNEX G

CAV Form 7 — Certification of Non-Availability of Academic School Records in the Division Office

 

ANNEX H

CAV Form 8 — Return Indorsement of Schools Division Office to the School

ANNEX I

 

CAV Form 9 — Certification of Discrepancy/ies

ANNEX J

 

CAV Form 10 — Request Form (RF) for ALS A&E and PEPT Ratings

 

ANNEX K

CAV Form 11 — Certification of Non-Availability of Rating (A&E/PEPT)

 

ANNEX L

CAV Form 12 — Certification of Rating (A&E/PEPT)

 

ANNEX M

CAV Form 13 — Division Office Transmittal to the Regional Office

 

ANNEX N

CAV Form 14 — List of Approved CAV Request

 

ANNEX O

CAV Form 15 — CAV Application Form

 

ANNEX P

CAV Form 16 — CAV Form

 

ANNEX Q

CAV Form 17 — Certification of English as a Medium of Instruction