DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2025: Policy Guidelines on the Institutionalization of the School Sports Club (SSC) in Public Schools

Policy Guidelines on the Institutionalization of the School Sports Club (SSC) in Public Schools

Release date: August 7, 2025 • Effectivity: Upon issuance and publication on the DepEd website

TL;DR:

• Who can join: All officially enrolled learners; inclusive by design; parent consent needed.
• When: 1–2× weekly sessions outside class hours, in 10–12-week cycles.
• Safety: Clear ratios, first aid, weather plan, and venue/gear checks every session.

At a glance: DO 022, s. 2025 establishes School Sports Clubs (SSCs) to improve fitness and well-being through regular, structured, inclusive, non-curricular sports. It explains how to organize SSCs, roles (Coordinator/Facilitators), support & monitoring, and alignment with the Comprehensive School Sports Program (CSSP).

Official sources

• DepEd Order page (announcement): deped.gov.ph
• Full text (PDF): DO_s2025_022r.pdf

Contents

1. Purpose & Rationale
2. What is a School Sports Club?
3. Who Can Join & Parent Consent
4. Program Framework (CSSP) & Manuals
5. Organization: Coordinator & Facilitators
6. Setting Up an SSC (Registration & Action Plan)
7. Session Frequency & Cycle
8. Support & Funding (PSF/SSEEDP) + Start-Lean Tips
9. Operations: Inclusion & Safety
10. 5-Point Safety Checklist
11. Monitoring & Division/Region Roles
12. Simple KPIs to Track
13. Action Steps (Schools & Divisions)
14. FAQ

Purpose & Rationale

Accessible, regular sports participation boosts fitness and learner well-being (physical, emotional, social, intellectual). SSCs make sports available to all learners beyond class time in a safe, structured, inclusive setting.

What is a School Sports Club?

• SSC: Organized sports activities outside regular academic hours to build skills, teamwork, sportsmanship, and fitness in a structured, inclusive, non-curricular setting; aligned with daily MVPA goals.
• Members: Officially enrolled learners who register for the SSC.
• Key documents: SSC Action Plan (objectives, activities, roles, budget, timelines) and Registration Form filed with the SDO.

Who Can Join & Parent Consent

• Eligibility: All officially enrolled learners; no tryout barriers for participation-oriented SSCs.
• Consent: Parent/guardian consent is required (template attached to the registration pack).
• Health disclosure: If advised locally, include basic health/disability info to plan safe participation; protect privacy.
• Inclusion: Reasonable accommodations for learners with disabilities (e.g., adapted rules/equipment, visual schedules).

Program Framework (CSSP) & Manuals

The SSC operates within the Comprehensive School Sports Program (CSSP), with a Manual of Operations, Sports Manuals for Teachers & Learners, and a Games Handbook. Divisions/Regions may run orientations, capability-building, and festivals.

Organization: Coordinator & Facilitators

• SSC Coordinator: A designated teaching or non-teaching personnel who assists the School Head in managing the SSC.
• SSC Facilitators: Designated personnel who run activities per sport/discipline; small schools may combine roles; capability-building is provided.
• Designations are treated as teaching-related assignments (Sports Development Program Trainer/Adviser).

Setting Up an SSC (Registration & Action Plan)

1. Secure School Head approval to open SSC and select initial sports (prioritize safe, feasible options).
2. Designate Coordinator & Facilitators via office order; align roles with safety and inclusion requirements.
3. Prepare the SSC Action Plan (Objectives → Calendar → Staffing & ratios → Inclusion & safety → Equipment & budget → Monitoring).
4. Register with the SDO using the prescribed Registration Form; new sports can be added the next AY by letter to SDO.
5. Inform parents/guardians of schedules, consent, safety measures, and emergency protocols.

Session Frequency & Cycle

• Cadence: Run SSC sessions 1–2× weekly outside class hours.
• Cycle length: Adopt 10–12-week cycles per sport with a simple culminating festival.
• Communication: Publish a monthly micro-calendar so parents and learners can plan around sessions.

Support & Funding (PSF/SSEEDP) + Start-Lean Tips

• Schools registered under SSEEDP may receive a Program Support Fund (PSF) for equipment/supplies and capacity-building (subject to availability).
• Start-lean options: Use existing PE gear; rotate low-equipment sports (fitness circuits, relays); request in-kind donations following policy; share an equipment cart across clubs.

Operations: Inclusion & Safety

• Inclusion in practice: Adapt rules/equipment (lighter balls, shorter distances, seated variants); pair peer mentors; provide quiet/sensory break areas; use visual schedules or picture-based instructions where helpful.
• Session basics: Warm-up → skill focus → drills/games → cool-down; keep activities age-appropriate and non-elimination for beginners.
• Records: Keep attendance logs, session plans, and a short risk check for each session.

5-Point Safety Checklist

1. Venue & gear check: Inspect surfaces, lines, hazards; verify gear is intact and appropriate.
2. First aid & hydration: Stocked kit + designated first-aider; water/hydration within reach.
3. Ratios: Aim for 1 facilitator : 20 learners (adjust for age/risk and venue size).
4. Emergency protocol: Posted contacts, nearest clinic/hospital, parent notification process.
5. Weather plan: Heat/rain contingency (indoor drills, reschedule policy) announced in advance.

Monitoring & Division/Region Roles

• SDO orientation: Within 30 days of school registration, divisions orient School Heads, Coordinators, and Facilitators.
• First monitoring: Within 60–90 days of the SSC’s start; include safety and inclusion checks.
• Regions/SDOs may schedule capability-building and inter-school festivals to showcase engagement and good practice.

Simple KPIs to Track

• Participation rate: % of grade levels represented; target growth per cycle.
• Engagement: Avg. sessions per learner per cycle (attendance/12).
• Safety: Incidents = 0; log near-misses and improvements.
• Well-being pulse: 2-question smiley survey at start vs end of cycle.

Action Steps (Schools & Divisions)

For Schools

• Pick initial sports; audit venue/equipment; designate Coordinator/Facilitators.
• Draft and submit the SSC Action Plan + Registration to the SDO.
• Set a 10–12-week cycle with 1–2× weekly sessions; publish the micro-calendar; implement the safety checklist.

For SDOs/Regions

• Conduct orientations within 30 days; consolidate registrations and support start-lean sourcing.
• Schedule monitoring within 60–90 days; issue quick advisories to close gaps (safety, inclusion, documentation).
• Plan inter-school Sports Club Festivals/Extramurals to sustain momentum.

FAQ

When can a school start its SSC?

After School Head approval, staff designations, and submission of the SSC Action Plan & Registration to the SDO, the school may begin per the published calendar.

Who can be the SSC Coordinator/Facilitator?

Teaching or non-teaching personnel designated by the School Head; small schools may combine roles; capacity-building is provided.

Is there funding support?

Subject to availability, registered schools under SSEEDP may receive a Program Support Fund for equipment/supplies and training; meanwhile, use start-lean options listed above.

Are SSC activities part of the curriculum?

No—SSCs are non-curricular and held outside regular class hours, but they align with CSSP and contribute to holistic development.

Author: Tchers' Den

Source: DepEd Order page & official PDF.

Download DO_s2025_022r (PDF)