Pasig City (9 October) -- Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus has issued an order engaging the services of private schools, as well as non-government organizations and institutions in preparing five-year olds who are ready to learn and achieve the desired competencies in Grade One through the department's Pre-school Service Contracting scheme.

The Pre-school Service Contracting (PSC) program is a delivery system that provides education to incoming Grade One pupils who cannot afford to enroll in any regular preschool and who were not accommodated in any kind of preschool service during the opening of school year 2006-2007.

According to Secretary Lapus, contracting classes for the school year 2006-2007 shall be expanded to cover more disadvantaged five-year old children in 5th and 6th class municipalities, urban slums and relocation areas. Additional classes shall also be organized in public schools located in disavantaged areas to accommodate more five-year old children who are least likely to enter school.

Secretary Lapus also enjoined all DepEd regional and division offices to continue organizing preschool classes through the service contracting scheme, especially in school where there were previously organized classes of such nature. Classes under the scheme will start on October 16, 2006 and will end on March 23, 2007.