The Department of Education (DepEd) announces the Moratorium on the Request for School Redistricting and Schools Division Reclassification until an updated policy and guidelines related to school redistricting have been issued.

DepEd Memorandum No. 57 – Moratorium on the Request for School Redistricting and Schools Division Reclassification

Pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9155, otherwise known as Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, Section 5.2 stipulates that:

A school district already existing at the time of the passage of the Act shall be maintained. However, an additional school district may be established by the Regional Director based on criteria set by the Secretary and on the recommendation of the Schools Division Superintendent. For this purpose, the Secretary of Education shall set standard and formulate criteria as basis of the Regional Director in the establishment of an additional school district.

The Department of Education Central Office (DepEd CO), through DepEd Memorandum No. 026, s. 2021 created a National Technical Working Group (NTWG) to Review and Revise School Districting Policies. This undertaking shall propose appropriate and relevant revisions to the current organizational structure, delineate functions in the positions under the schools division offices (SDO) and evaluate manpower complement that would have an impact on the performance of the Department. Revisiting and updating relevant policies and standards related to the school district shall be the major deliverables of the NTWG.

In view of the foregoing, all redistricting requests endorsed to DepEd CO including those that are pending for tagging in the Learner Information System (LIS) and Basic Education Information System (EBEIS) from the regions and SDOs shall be put on hold until an updated policy and guidelines related to school redistricting have been issued. In addition, since schools district is one of the criteria for the size classification of the SDOs, requests for SDO size reclassification shall also be held in abeyance until the redistricting policy has been issued.

Field offices may coordinate with the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development-Organization Effectiveness Division (BHROD-OED) through email at bhrod.oed@deped.gov.ph for any information and/or clarification on the provision of this moratorium.

Immediate dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.