MANILA - The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued a memorandum to all schools to make sure their graduation rites will not be used as a political forum by politicians who are running in the May elections.

The memorandum does specify what can be done or cannot be done, it just says that "graduation rites should be conducted in an appropriate and solemn ceremony befitting the graduating students and their parents and shall not be used as political forum."

Commonwealth Elementary School, the school with the largest population in the county, is now preparing for their graduation rites. The school has more than 9,000 students, and 1,200 grade 6 pupils will be graduating on March 18.

School principal Rodolfo Modelo said they want to prevent politicians from using the grad rites to promote themselves by making sure there is already a script for the occasion and that this will be strictly followed.

Modelo said Mayor Herbert Bautista and Congressman Winston Castelo will be speaking during the grad rites, which happens every year but they are required to submit their speeches beforehand.

The DepEd released its memo guidelines with the theme "Building the Nation's Future Leaders Through the K to 12 Basic Education Program" or "K-12 Basic Education Program - Tungo sa Paghuhubog nga mga Makabagong Lider ng Bansa."

The Graduation Rites should be scheduled either on March 18 or 19, 2013 which is based on the recommendation of DepEd.

The order states that collection of graduation fees or any kind of contribution is definitely prohibited, and funds to be used for the graduation should be sourced from the Parents-Teachers Association donation. Likewise, non-academic projects should not be imposed as requirements for graduation.

DepEd also imposed that there should be no special attire or extravagant venue for the graduation rites, and any contribution for the yearbook should be on a voluntary basis.