MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 141 - ADOPTING THE "EDUCATION FOR ALL: A PHILIPPINE PLAN OF ACTION, 1991-2000" AS A MAJOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND PROGRAM OF THE GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS, the National Committee on Education for All created under Proclamation No. 480, dated October 16, 1989, has formulated the Philippine Plan of Action for Education For All (EFA) for 1991 to 2000; 

WHEREAS, there is a need to strengthen the sourcing of development assistance for and subsequent implementation of EFA programs and projects;

WHEREAS, the Government is promoting the policy of decentralization in the areas of policy formulation, planning and implementation;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for the country's cultural communities to be represented in the process of formulating plans and program for Education for All and its subsequent implementation so that they may benefit from and be at par with the rest of the country in terms of educational development;  

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the power vested in me by law, do hereby order as follows:

1. The Plan document "Education For All: A Philippine Plan of Action, 1991-2000", formulated by the EFA National Committee created under Proclamation No. 480, dated October 16, 1989, is hereby adopted as a major social development policy and program document of the Philippine Government, and its subsequent use as the basis for future planning, program development and implementation is hereby directed;

2. For the purpose of pursuing a single vision and direction of basic education and synchronization of monitoring and social mobilization activities, the concerned government agencies and non-governmental organizations are hereby enjoined to base their development plans and programs for the decade on the EFA Philippine Plan of Action, particularly in the areas of educational philosophy and objectives, curricular reforms, delivery systems, staff development and teacher training, resource allocation and other aspects of educational innovations. 

3. The Cabinet is directed to devise a system of orchestrated resource allocation reflective of the principle of grand alliance for basic education in order to ensure the proper pooling and programming of the funds that may be mobilized from all possible sources, the synchronization of the EFA activities and the sustained availability of local counterpart funds for the projects which are externally-assisted.

4. To strengthen coordination with the member agencies and organizations, as well as the local and external sources of development assistance, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) and the National Economic and Development Authority are hereby designated as the lead agencies of the National Committee on Education for All (NCEFA). The DECS and NEDA Regional Directors shall also serve as ex-officio chairmen and co chairmen, respectively, of all the Regional Committees on Education for All, which have been created as part of the implementation machinery for EFA in Regions 1 to 12, including the Cordillera Administrative Region; Provided, that the Regional Committees on EFA in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the National Capital Region shall be chaired by the DECS Regional Director and co-chaired by the Director of Regional Planning Development Office and the Deputy Director for Planning of the Metropolitan Manila Authority, respectively; and Provided, further, that the Provincial Governor, City and Municipal Mayor and the provincial/city/municipal development officer shall co-chair the provincial, city and municipal committees for Education for All, respectively. Nothing in this Memorandum Circular shall preclude the selection of representatives of non-governmental organizations and other member-agencies as additional co-chairmen or vice-chairmen of sub-national committees on EFA. 

5. In line with the government's thrust of decentralization, the Regional Committees on Education For All and their counterparts in the sub-regional levels as parts of its implementing machinery shall be strengthened as specialized units of the Regional Development Councils and the local development councils. They shall formulate basic education plans and policies appropriate for the region, coordinate all matters on the Education for All movement in the region, and review, endorse and monitor programs and projects and undertake social mobilization and advocacy to ensure the success of the movement;

6. In order to provide technical and organizational support to its implementing machinery, and in accordance with the Framework for the Philippine Plan of Action, 1990-2000, which was endorsed by the National Economic and Development Authority in November 1989, there is hereby created a permanent Program Management Team (PMT) to provide the National Committee and the Secretariat the needed technical and secretariat assistance. The PMT is tasked to oversee program in implementation in the Committee's behalf, and coordinate the process of future plan formulation/revision, project development and policy formulation for the consideration and endorsement of the Committee. 

7. The authority to effect subsequent changes in the composition of its members, its structure and leadership, including those of the Program Management Team, and other special bodies that it may create is hereby delegated to the National Committee whenever it deems such changes fit and responsive to the needs of the decade-long program. 

Since 19.07.98.