THE Department of Education’s (DepEd) Memorandum (DM) 23, Series of 2026, was clearly issued with a humane and practical objective: to ensure that learners are not excluded from end-of-school-year rites simply because of unpaid financial obligations to their previous schools. At a time when graduation and moving-up ceremonies mark important milestones in a child’s life, this policy sends a strong message that no learner should be publicly deprived of recognition for academic work completed.