1. In  support,  of the  K  to  12  Curriculum  implementation,  the  Department  of Education   (DepEd)   hereby  establishes   the  enclosed   guidelines   on  the conduct of co-curricular  and extra-curricular  off-campus  activities  for public and private schools.

2.     All co-curricular and extra-curricular activities will adhere to the following:

a.   ensure  relevance  and alignment  with the educational  competencies  of the K lo 12 Curriculum and leadership development of learners;

b.   uphold   child   protection   principles   and   that   no   learner   shall   be
disadvantaged in any form; and

c.   observe  the  safety  and  security  protocols  for  all  participants  before, during and after the activity.

3.     This issuance repeals DepEd Order Nos. 87 and 52, s. 2003, 5, s. 2002 and
56, s. 2001. All other related issuances, rules and regulations, as well as provisions which are inconsistent, with this policy are hereby repealed, rescinded, or modified accordingly.

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

(Enclosure to DepEd Order. No. 66, s. 2017)


I.     RATIONALE

The implementation  of the K to 12 Curriculum by the Department of Education (DepEd) is geared toward the holistic development of the learner. As such, the DepEd recognizes the value  of  experiential  learning  as  a  holistic  learning  model,  through  which  the  learner develops  mastery  of  target  competencies  by  first,  obtaining  conceptual  understanding, followed by its application to authentic situations, and finally reflection on the experience gained. In support of this Iearning process, relevant off-campus activities are being implemented  by the DepEd at the different governance levels to supplement and enhance classroom-based  theories  and  concepts  with  immersive  activity-based  learning experiences.

To ensure that these off-campus activities attain the intended purpose, DepEd recognizes the necessity  of updating and improving  existing guidelines  into a comprehensive  policy. The  relevance  of off-campus  activities  vis- -vis  the  K to 12  Curriculum  shall  be  given utmost importance  in organizing  such activities.  At the same time, while the Department seeks to enhance the learning experience by spearheading the conduct of off-campus activities, the safety and security of all participants, namely, the learners, their parents/guardians,  and DepEd personnel should be highly considered.

Given  these,  DepEd  shall  establish  standards  and  procedures  in  the  conduct  of  Off- Campus  activities  involving  learners,  teachers  and  relevant  offices  in  the  DepEd  to maximize the gains from such activity and ensure its alignment with the overall learning outcomes.   Additionally,   this   policy   aims   to  provide   general   and   specific   guidance pertaining to the roles of relevant stakeholders, safety and security measures, and accountability mechanisms.

II.    SCOPE

This  policy  covers  the  implementation   and  management   of  co-curricular   and  extra- curricular off-campus activities in all public and private schools.

III.   DEFINITION OF TERMS

For  clarity  and  consistency,  the  following  frequently  used  terms  and  phrases  in  this document shall be construed as follows:

1.     Activity  Head  -  any  authorized  personnel  primarily  responsible  for  the  learners during an off-campus activity.

2.     Chaperone  - a person  assigned  to accompany  and  supervise  learners  during  off- campus activities

3.     Educational  Field Trip - a carefully planned activity involving travel to sites outside the  classroom  and  school  premises  where  lesson  delivery  usually  takes  place  for firsthand   learning   opportunities,   the  design   of  which   is  built  around   achieving particular core competencies of the curriculum

4.     Guardian  - refers  to legal  guardians,  foster  parents,  and other  persons,  including relatives or even non-relatives who have physical custody of the child.

5.     Off-Campus Activity  - an authorized  activity  relevant  to learning  that  takes  place outside  the  school  premises,  participated by learners  and  supervised  by  teachers and/or staff and other concerned stakeholders

a.    Off-Campus   Co-curricular   Activity   - authorized,   voluntary,   non-graded   off- campus  learner  engagements   anchored   within  the  bounds  of  the  standard curriculum  and  educational  competencies  organized  and  coordinated  by authorized learner or civic organizations.

b.    Off-Campus    Extra-curricular  Activity   -   voluntary,   non-graded   off-campus learner engagements  not anchored  on the standard  curriculum  and educational competencies   either  offered/coordinated  by  the  school,  authorized  learner  or civic organizations that aim to promote the holistic development of learners

6.     Roadworthiness  - pertains to the ability of a vehicle to be street-legal and in a suitable operating   condition   as  per  the  standards   of  appropriate   government/regulatory agencies

IV.   POLICY STATEMENT

DepEd hereby establishes the policy on the conduct of off-campus activities to set the guidelines  on  the  conduct  of  co-curricular  and  extra-curricular  off-campus  activities  in public and private elementary and secondary schools.

General Principles

All co-curricular and extra-curricular  activities will adhere to the following:

1.    ensure  relevance  and alignment  with the educational  competencies  of the K to 12
Curriculum and leadership development of learners;

2.     uphold child protection  principles  and that no learner shall be disadvantaged  in any form; and

3.     observe the safety and security protocols for all participants  before, during and after the activity.

Off-campus activities shall not be used as a means to raise funds for the school or an association. All curricular and nationally mandated off-campus activities shall be subject to existing policies governing them.

V.    CATEGORIES  OF OFF-CAMPUS  ACTIVITIES

1. DepEd Mandated and Initiated Off-Campus Activities
   In support of the K to 12 Curriculum  implementation  and the holistic development  of learners,  DepEd  regularly  initiates  and/or  mandates  activities  that  are  conducted outside  of  the  school.  These  activities  are  organized  by  the  central,  regional  and division offices, and follow existing issuances specific to the activity.
   
   
2. Externally Initiated Off-Campus Activities
   External stakeholders  may involve schools in their activities and programs, which are off-campus  in nature.  For public schools, such activities  shall require  approval  from DepEd authorities per governance level. For private schools, appropriate school authorities will be in charge of the approval. The planned off-campus activity shall be thoroughly   discussed   with   school   management   before   seeking   approval   from concerned authorities. This shall follow strictly articulated procedures in this policy.
   
   
3. School Initiated Off-Campus Activities
   Public  schools  shall  be  allowed  to  organize  field  trips  and/or  educational   tours provided that these will not entail huge costs and will not risk the safety and security of learners. Field trips and/or educational tours are supplemental  activities only and shall not in any way replace the learning delivery.
   
   The conduct  of off-campus  activities  will be a prerogative  of the school  heads  and subject to the approval of the Schools Division Superintendents  (SDS).

VI.   ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A.    Central Office
The  overall  policy  guidance  will  come  from  the  Office  of  the  Undersecretary   for Planning and Field Operations and Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction. Specifically, the following are the roles and responsibilities  of concerned bureaus:

1.    Bureau of Learner Support Services

a.     Oversee the implementation  of this policy
b.     Resolve   emerging   issues   and   challenges   in   the   implementation   and management of off-campus activities
c.     Conduct periodic monitoring and evaluation of off-campus activities
d.     Spearhead the review of the policy on off-campus activities

2.    Bureau  of Learner  Delivery  (BLD) and Bureau  of Curriculum  Development
(BCD)

a.     Ensure curricular and nationally-mandated co-curricular  activities adhere to the protocols set in this policy

b.     Participate in the regular review of this policy

B.     Regional Office

Given  the  shared  responsibility  of Regional  Office  (RO)  functional  divisions  in the conduct of co- and extra-curricular off-campus activities, herewith are the roles and responsibilities  of concerned offices:

1.    Education   Support   Services   Division   (ESSD)   and  Curriculum   Learning
Management Division (CLMD)

a.     Spearhead  the  nationally  mandated  co-  and  extra-curricular   off-campus activity held at the regional level

b.     Evaluate and recommend  the approval of division and regional level activity
proposals  and ensure that these contribute  to the curriculum  and learner ™s development

c.     Ensure that off-campus  activities  strictly comply with procedures  stipulated in this policy

d.     Monitor the conduct of co- and extra curricular activities

e.     Resolve   emerging   issues   and   challenges   in   the   implementation   and management of school-initiated  off-campus activities

ESSD   shall  be  the  overall   in-charge   in  the  monitoring   and  evaluation   of  the implementation  of the policy on off-campus activities at the regional level.

C.    Schools Division Office

Given the shared responsibility  of Schools Division Office (SDO) functional  divisions in  the  conduct  of  co-  and  extra-curricular   off-campus   activities,   as  appropriate herewith are the roles and responsibility of concerned offices:

1.    School   Governance   and   Operations   Division   (SGOD)   and   Curriculum
Implementation  Division (CID)

a.     Facilitate  smooth  implementation   of  off-campus  activities  initiated  at  the
SDO level, as appropriate

b.     Monitor the conduct of co- and extra-curricular  activities

c.     Evaluate and recommend the approval of school level activity proposals and ensure that these are aligned with the curriculum and contribute to learner ™s development

d.     Secure  a  list  of  both  accredited   and  blacklisted   tour  operators/service
providers based on track record and credibility, which schools can refer to

e.     Ensure that off-campus  activities  strictly comply with procedures  stipulated in this policy

f.     Resolve   emerging   issues   and   challenges   in   the   implementation   and management of school-initiated  off-campus activities

SGOD  shall  be  the  overall  in-charge  in  the  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  the implementation  of the policy on off-campus activities at the division level.

D.    School

1.    School Head

a. Ensure that proposed off-campus activities are in the Annual  Improvement Plan, especially those that can already be anticipated by the school
b.    Review school level activity proposals and endorse to SDO for approval
c.    Ensure  the alignment  of school level activity proposals  with the target key
stage and corresponding competencies of the K to 12 Curriculum
d.    Ensure  that activities  strictly  comply  with the procedures  stipulated  in this
policy
e.    Schedule  catch up learning sessions  for the participants  of off-campus  co-
curricular activities held at the division, regional or national levels who miss
classes to attend said activities
f.    Resolve   emerging   issues   and   challenges   in   the   implementation   and
management of school-initiated  off-campus activities
g.    Submit activity reports to the SDO

2.    Activity Head

a.     Spearhead the planning and preparation of the off-campus activity
b.     Facilitate the parents ™/guardians ™ conference,  pre-departure  orientation,  and other similar preparatory activities
c.     Ensure   that   safety   measures,    protection    of   learners,    and   relevant procedures  stipulated  in  this  policy  are  strictly  observed  in  the  planning, activity proper, and post-activity stages
d.     Conduct   post-activity   processing   and  prepare  the  activity  report  to  be submitted to the school head

3.    Parents and/or Guardian of the Learners

a.     Participate   in  the  planning   and  preparatory   activities   such  as  parent/ guardian conference, pre-departure briefing, and other similar preparatory activities
b.     Accomplish  and  submit  Parent ™s/Guardian ™s  Consent  Form  (Annex  C)  to concerned  teachers Lo indicate that they are allowing their child/ren to join the off-campus activity
c.     Inform the concerned teachers, of the learners ™ specific medical needs;
d.     Provide the required information stipulated in this policy prior to the conduct of the off-campus activity.
e.     Ensure that necessary arrangements for travel insurance are secured.

For  private  schools,  their  respective   approving  authorities   shall  be  engaged  as provided in their respective manual of rules and regulations. Private schools should likewise strictly observe the engagement  of parents and/or guardians  in the conduct of all off-campus activities.

VII.  PREPARING FOR OFF-CAMPUS  ACTIVITIES

A.     Planning

In accordance  with  the principles  provided  for in these  guidelines,  all schools  and other concerned offices shall prepare a plan and seek the approval of concerned authorities. The plan should take into account learners ™ diversity, context, and needs. This should be part of the school ™s annual planning activity to ensure that off-campus activities support education priorities, and are relevant to learning and development of learners.   In  this  light,  planning   of  an  off-campus   activity  shall  provide  a  clear justification that covers important aspects such as relevance to the curriculum, safety and security measures, and accountability  of concerned stakeholders,  among others. Private schools may also adopt their own planning process to ensure that off-campus activities are aligned with the curriculum and help attain educational competencies.

Parents  should  have active  involvement  in the planning  of off-campus  activities.  At the planning stage, they should be informed of the details of the activity and nature of participation   of  their  children.  They  should  also  be  encouraged   to  attend  these activities as long as their resources permit.

For  off-campus  activities  that  shall  be  conducted  for  at least  one  day,  an  Activity Proposal (Annex A) shall be submitted to the approving authority/ies for review and approval.

For all off-campus  activities  less than one day, concerned  teachers  shall seek  the approval of the school head in writing. The concerned  teacher shall exercise utmost diligence in observing the safety and security of the learners throughout the duration of the said activity.

B.     Safety and Security Measures

The  following  safety  and  security  measures  shall  be  observed  by  all  public  and private schools when planning an off-campus activity:

1.    Buddy  System  - All learners  participating  in an off-campus  activity  should  be assigned a buddy except when only one learner is traveling with the concerned teacher. This is to ensure that someone is looking after one another and that no one gets left behind, in bigger groups, these paired learners shall be assigned to a teacher or any participating adult.

2.    Medical Kit - The activity head shall ensure that there is an accessible  medical kit throughout the duration of the off-campus activity. Learners, in particular, shall be made aware of how to access the medical kit whenever necessary.

3.    Emergency  and  Evacuation  Procedures  -  All  responsible  personnel  in  the conduct of an off-campus activity shall be guided by the principles of emergency and  evacuation  protocols  as  per  School  Disaster  Risk  Reduction  and Management  Manual. This shall be part of the pre-departure  briefing with all the participants.

4.    Food - All personnel involved in an off-campus activity shall continue to promote the consumption  of healthy food and beverages during the entire trip pursuant to DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2017.

5.    Learner  Medical  Condition  -  Concerned  teachers  should  be  aware  of  the participating  learner ™s  medical  condition.  As necessary,  medical  clearance  shall be required especially if strenuous physical activities are part of the off-campus activity program.

6.   Learner Emergency Contact Details - Concerned teachers shall secure the emergency  contact details of every learner joining an off-campus  activity. In the same way, concerned teachers shall give their contact details to the parents/guardians  of learners.

7.    Learner Safety and Emergency  Card - In addition to the wearing of school ID, each learner joining an off-campus activity should prepare and wear a safety and emergency card, which contains the following details:

a.     Learner emergency contact details
b.     Contact number of concerned teacher/s
c.     Allergies and other pertinent health information (e.g. pre-existing conditions, dietary restrictions, prescription medications)
d.     Blood type

No  cost  should  be  incurred  by  the  learners  in the  preparation  of the  Learner Safety and Emergency Card.

8.    Traffic  Rules  and Convoy  - Vehicles  shall strictly  follow  the traffic  rules  and related regulations  as set by the law (ex. speed limit, use of seatbelt,  capacity, etc).  In cases  where  multiple  vehicles  are used  during  an off-campus  activity, said vehicles shall always be in convoy.

9.    Weather  Condition  - The activity head shall closely monitor  weather  forecasts and  patterns  2-3  days  before  and  on  the  day  of  the  scheduled  off-campus activity.  If  inclement  weather  is  expected,  the  school  head  shall  immediately cancel the planned trip.

Off-campus activities shall be flexible and incur no extra costs in cases wherein rescheduling occurs.

C.    Site Selection for Field Trips/Educational Tours

Apart  from  relevance  to  the  curriculum,  local  sites  of  academic  and/or  historical relevance   should  be  prioritized   to  promote   local  knowledge   sources   and  cost- efficiency in determining the venue for field trips/educational  tours.

D.    Service Providers

Off-campus   activities   requiring   the  services   of  external   tour  and  transportation operators,  among  others,  shall  comply  with  the  provisions  of  these  guidelines  to ensure  the  safety  of  participants.   An  agreement   shall  be  jointly  signed  by  the procuring entity and the service provider, specifying the responsibilities  and liabilities of the parties especially to the learners who will participate in the off-campus activity.

1.    External Partners (ex. barangay, a public or private school) - The school may be assisted   by  an  external   partner   in  terms  of  an  off-campus   activity   and/or transportation   service,  provided  that  a  written  agreement  is  signed  by  both parties beforehand.

2.    Tour  Operators   -  Tour  operators  providing  services  for  off-campus   activity destinations shall be duly accredited by government agencies. The following documents shall be checked from the tour operator:

a.     Certified   True  Copy  of  Accreditation   Certificate   by  the  Department   of Tourism (DOT)

b.     Certified    True   Copy   of   Certification    from   the   Land   Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on the validity and scope of franchise of the tour operator ™s vehicle/s, if applicable

Moreover, itinerary and activities offered per location must be made clear in the agreement and strictly followed. An off-campus activity venue must be able to comfortably accommodate the expected number of participants at a time.

3.    Transportation   Providers   -  Vehicles,   most  especially   those  arranged   with external transportation operators shall be duly certified by the Department of Transportation  (DOTr)/Land  Transportation  Office (LTO). Vehicles should not be more  than  10  years  old  as  of  the  scheduled  date  of  the  off-campus  activity reckoned   from   the  year of  manufacture.   Furthermore,   pertinent   documents including, but not limited to, the following shall be checked as to their validity:

a.     Registration of Vehicles
b.     Insurance Coverage
c.     Professional Driver ™s License
d.     Roadworthiness  Certificate

The transportation providers shall submit a list of the specific vehicle/s and corresponding   plate  number/s  to  be  used,  and  assigned  driver/s,  for  an  off- campus  activity  not  less  than  five  (5)  days  before  the  activity.  Only  the  pre-identified vehicle/s and driver/s will be permitted during the activity itself. Prior to the  scheduled   activity,   the  transportation   provider   shall  conduct   necessary inspection of the identified vehicle/s in the presence of the activity head or any authorized personnel.

The  number  of  participants  per  vehicle  shall be strictly  limited  to  its  seating capacity. Overloading  and usage of additional seats in the vehicle aisle shall be strictly prohibited.

4. Drivers - The school shall ensure that all drivers assigned to service off-campus participants have updated licenses and are in good medical condition as per their latest health examination within a year of the scheduled activity.

E.     Learners with Special Needs
Appropriate  accommodations  and/or modifications  shall be provided for learners with special needs.

F.     Parent/Guardian  Conference
Parents/Guardians   shall  be  convened  to  discuss  all  approved  and  upcoming  off- campus activities. The program, logistical and administrative requirements will be discussed  in the conference.  For those who were not able to attend the conference, the school shall send a letter of information signed by the principal to these parents/guardians.   For  off-campus   activities  that  are  not  initiated  by  the  school (e.g. barangay, Regional   Office,   Schools   Division   Office,   etc.),   the  invitation   or memoranda   should  be  attached  to  the  letter  of  information.   Duly  accomplished consent forms (Annex C) shall be submitted to the activity head prior to the activity.

G.    Pre-Departure  Briefing
All  off-campus  activity  participants  -  learners,  teachers,  parents/guardians   -  shall attend a pre-departure briefing to discuss, among others, the following:

a.    Program, including the activities that the learners will participate in
b.    Expenses that may be incurred
c.    Information on the place/s to visit
d.    Emergency and evacuation procedures e.    Safety and security measures
f.     Departure and arrival area

The  activity   head  shall  ensure   that  all  clarifications,   concerns   and  issues  are discussed and resolved during the pre-departure briefing.

For activities  that will involve  big groups,  groupings  shall also be done  during  this phase. Chaperones  shall be identified and provided with a list of learners under their care.

For activities that require multiple areas to be visited, a map with the pre-determined visit points shall also be provided to the learners during the pre-departure.

VIII.     ACTIVITY PROPER

To ensure the smooth conduct of off-campus activities, all public and private schools must observe the following required due diligence:

A.     School Rules
School rules shall apply during off-campus activities.

B.     Vehicle Inspection

On  the  day  of  the  off-campus  activity  and  before  learners  board  the  vehicle,  the school shall inspect and ensure that the vehicle is in good condition and crosscheck both the vehicle and the driver with those pre-identified for the activity.

C.    Manifest

All participants  - learners,  parents/guardians,  teachers  and  other  personnel  - shall sign a manifest (Annex B) before leaving the school premises and upon return to the school.

D.    Tracking

Headcount shall be conducted before leaving the school and upon arrival at every off- campus venue.

For off-campus  activities with transportation  providers, the school shall keep track of the vehicles that leave and return to the school, as well as the learner- and teacher- passengers. This tracking shall be made transparent to parents or guardians.
A specific waiting area in the school shall be designated  where all returning learners shall be picked  up by their fetcher.  Learners  whose  fetchers  are yet to arrive shall diligently wait in this area, and shall be supervised by the teacher-in-charge.

E.     Briefing Upon Arrival

Upon arrival at the venue, the learners should be briefed on the safety and security measures, emergency and evacuation procedures, as well as rules and regulations to be observed in the venue. ID cards and Learner Safety and Emergency  Cards shall also be checked by the concerned teacher.

F.     Close Supervision of Learners

Close  supervision  of  learners  shall  be  observed  in  the  entire  duration  of  the  off- campus activity. All learners shall be instructed to report their whereabouts to these concerned adult participants.  In case of big group off-campus  activities, there should be at least two chaperones  in a vehicle of not more than the seating capacity. When lined up with the learners, one chaperone shall be designated at the front of the line, while  the  other  shall  be  assigned  at the  back.  Learners  shall  not  be  permitted  to wander off on their own.

For off-campus co- and extra-curricular activities initiated by the division, region, or external entity, participating learners are required to be accompanied by concerned teacher/s or coach/es from the participating school.

Kindergarten  up  to  Grade  3  learners  must  be  accompanied  by  their parents/guardians  during off-campus activities.

G.    Educational Tourism

For  off-campus  activities  with  an  educational  component  particular  to  the  venue/
place/s to visit, related lecture must be conducted throughout the trip.

H.    Drop-Off

Learners  who  join  an  off-campus  activity  shall  be  dropped  off  at  the  designated waiting  area  in the  school.  Elementary  learners  shall  not  be  allowed  to leave  the school premises without their fetchers.

The parent/guardian  who wishes their child or children to be dropped off elsewhere, shall directly communicate  with the activity head or authorized personnel the drop-off details. The learner's fetcher must already be in the agreed drop-off area by the time the  learner  is to be  dropped  off.  Otherwise,  the  learner  shall  be  dropped  off  and picked up at the school.

I.     Post-Activity Vehicle Check

Authorized personnel shall inspect the vehicle for any items that might have been left behind by the learners. They shall collect any found items and facilitate the claiming of the said items.

IX.   POST-ACTIVITY

To  get  the  full  benefits  of  the  off-campus  activity,  post  activity  processing  must  be conducted.

A.     Learners ™ Culminating Activity

The class adviser shall conduct a culminating  activity and process with the learners the activities conducted vis- -vis the curriculum. The activity aims to process and synthesize  the learning experiences  and insights of learners from the conducted  off- campus activity.

Teacher/s  involved  shall  ask  the  learners  who  joined  the  off-campus  activity  for feedback on the activity; particularly, things such as what went well, what went wrong, and things that can be improved  next time. Evaluation  shall cover the activity itself, the vehicle/s used, the venue, and other services when applicable.

The Activity Head shall in no case be allowed to conduct the off-campus  culminating activity.

B.     Activity Evaluation

All teachers  involved  in the off-campus  activity  are required  to convene  for a post- activity  evaluation  to  discuss  issues  and  concerns  encountered  during  the  entire duration of the trip. If only one teacher was involved, the evaluation  should be done with the school head.

Feedback  from  both  learners  and  faculty  members  shall  be  consolidated  by  the teacher/s involved, to be included in the Activity Report.

C.    Submission of Activity Report

All concerned  teachers  shall prepare and submit an activity report (Annex D) to the school head for subsequent reporting to the SDO and RO, whichever is the approving authority. Private schools may also submit their report to their respective approving authorities.

The report should also contain the documentation  of learners ™ culminating activity and the evaluation of the learners and teachers. Specifically,  the report shall highlight the academic gains relevant to the curriculum, evaluation of tour or service provider, and challenges encountered during the activity.

X.     SPECIAL PROVISIONS

A.     Participation

Participation,   especially  by  learners,  in  co-  and  extra-curricular   activities  will  be voluntary. No learner shall be required to participate in any off-campus activity.

B.     Travel Insurance

Securing, travel insurance is mandatory  for all off-campus  activities. No one shall be allowed to join off-campus activities without travel insurance.

C.    No Grade Equivalent

All co-curricular  and extra-curricular  activities  shall have no grade equivalent.  In the same  way,  all  non-participating   learners  shall  not  be  required  with  any  special projects and/or examination or, any form of school requirements.

D.    Class Disruption

The school head shall ensure that off-campus activities will in no way disrupt classes. Arrangements  have  to be made  to ensure  that  contact  time  with  non-participating learners   is  observed.   Specifically   for  field  trips  and/or   educational   tours,  non- participating  learners shall be provided with lessons equivalent to the program of the conducted   off-campus   activity  to  ensure  that  nothing  is  missed  in  the  learning process.  Make-up  classes  shall  be  conducted  to  cover  competencies   discussed and/or taken up during the conduct of the off-campus activity.

E.    Partnership with Other Agencies/Organizations

Schools/SDOs/ROs may partner with other organizations  and government  agencies to assist DepEd in the conduct of off-campus activities.

XI.   FUND SOURCES

For public schools, funds for the conduct of off-campus activities may be sourced, as appropriate and in accordance with existing accounting and auditing rules and regulations, from the following:

A.     DepEd  Funds  -  this  shall  be  subject  to  the  provisions  under  the  implementing guidelines of DepEd ™s nationally-mandated and initiated off-campus activities and allowable  expenses  in  the  School ™s  Maintenance  and  Other  Operating  Expenses budget (MOOE).

B.    Special Education  Fund - funds for the planned off-campus  activities could also be
requested  from  the Local  School  Board  for consideration  in the Special  Education
Fund  (SEF)  as applicable,  and in accordance  with DepEd-DBM-DILG  Joint Circular
01 s. 2017.

C.    External   Sources   -  schools  may  tap  other  parties  such  as  sponsors   and/or external partners for financial support for the fees, transportation  services, logistics, and other requirements necessary for the conduct of Off-Campus activities.

Participation  in all off-campus activities is voluntary. Under no circumstances  shall off-campus   activities   place  undue   financial   burden   on  the  learners   and  their families. Teachers shall not charge their expenses to learners.

XII.  MONITORING  AND EVALUATION

BLSS, in close collaboration with BCD and BLD; with CLMD and ESSD: and, with CID and SGOD,  will  conduct  structured  monitoring  of  off-campus  activity  processes.  They  will provide  feedback  for the improvement  of this policy.  Further,  the BLSS  with concerned regional  offices  will conduct  an annual  review  of the effectiveness  and efficiency  of the policy in achieving its objectives.

XIII.  VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS

Any  violation  or  abuse  of  this  Order  shall  be  reported  immediately  to  the  concerned DepEd offices as articulated in Section VI of this policy. Such violations shall be dealt with accordingly.

XIV.    EFFECTIVITY/TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

DepEd  Memorandum  No.  47,  s. 2017  otherwise  known  as Moratorium  on Educational
Field Trips and Other Similar Activities shall be lifted upon the effectivity of this Order. Other issuances inconsistent with this Order are hereby rescinded or repealed. Immediate dissemination and compliance with this Order is directed.

XV.     REFERENCES

*  DepEd  Order  No. 13, s. 2017, Policy  and Guidelines  on Healthy  Food  and Beverage
Choices in Schools and in DepEd Offices
*  DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2016, Implementing  Guidelines on the Direct Release and Use of  Maintenance   and  Other   Operating   Expenses   (MOOE)   Allocations   of  Schools, Including Other Funds Managed by Schools
*  DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, DepEd Child Protection Policy
*  DepEd  Order  No.  87,  s.  2003.  Reiterating  the  Provisions  of  DepEd  Order No. 52, s. 2003 (Policy on Educational Field Trips)
*  DepEd Order No. 52, s. 2003, Policy on Educational Field Trips (Supplemental  to DECS Order No. 56, s. 2001 and DepEd Order No. 51, s. 2002)
*  DepEd Order No. 51, s. 2002, Policy on Educational  Field Trips (Supplement  to DepEd
Order No. 56, s. 2001)
*  DepEd Order No. 56, s. 2001, Policy on Educational Field Trips
*  DepEd   Memorandum No.   67,   s. 2017,   Creation of   a Technical   Working Group   to
Review and Revise Policies on Educational Field Trips
*  DepEd  Memorandum  No. 47, s. 2017,  Moratorium  on DepEd  Educational  Field Trips and Other Similar Activities
*  Department of Education K to 12 Curriculum Guide
*  Rules  and Regulations   to  Govern  the  Accreditation   of  Travel  and  Tour  Services, Department of Tourism, September 26, 1995
*  School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Manual