Country: Philippines                          
Title:    Discouraging the Purchase of Tools and Equipment by Kits
Author:            Lourdes R.. Quisumbing, Secretary, DECS.  
Institution:       Department of Education, Culture and Sports
Citations:         DECS Order No. 69, s. 1989.  
Descriptors:       Educational equipment; Purchasing.  
Full text: 1.       During a workshop on the Standardization of
  Instructional Tools and Devices held at the Aurora A. Quezon
  Elementary School, Malate, Manila on July 3-7, 1989, the
  participants including representatives from the Procurement
  Service, DBM, school administrators and central office officials
  are of the consensus that the purchase of tools, equipment and
  devices by kits is not cost-beneficial for the following reasons:

       a.  The Kits usually contain items that the schools already
  have and which they do not need to buy, or items which they can
  fabricate.

       b.  They contain items which are not prescribed in the
  standard requirements issued by the Bureaus of Elementary and
  Scondary Education for use in instruction as per their respective
  curricula and therefore, would not be of use in the schools.

       c.  There are consumable items in the Kits which can be easily
  bought or obtained in time of need.

       d.  It cannot be ascertained that each item in the Kit is of
  standard quality, especially when it is mass produced.

       e.  The Kit container adds cost to the items to be bought.

  2.       In view of the above and to minimize costs in the purchase
  of unneeded and poor quality equipment, tools and devices, it is
  desired that procurement offices be advised against the purchase of
  such Kits.

  3.       For the purchase of instructional tools, equipment and
  devices. specifications and pricing shall be made by single item
  and the procurement and inspection shall be done likewise.