Public schools reminded against enrollment fees
Councilor Edgardo Labella urges DepEd Cebu City Schools Division to ensure that the enrollment phase for the school year 2013-2014 will not be marred by the illegal practice of collecting unreasonable and unauthorized contributions from students or pupils
THE Cebu City Council appealed to the public schools in the city to avoid collecting “unreasonable” or “unauthorized” contributions from students.
“With the ongoing enrollment for public schools in the city, every Filipino family is now faced with financial challenges with the demand of school fees and other miscellaneous expenses,” said Councilor Edgardo Labella in a resolution.
“Adding to the woes of the impoverished parents of students is the tendency of some misguided city public school teachers and administrators to initiate the collection of the so-called voluntary contributions from pupils and students and making the same a pre-requisite for enrollment,” the resolution added.
Labella reminded the teachers that the Department of Education (DepEd) has issued an order mandating the continued implementation of a “no collection policy” in all public elementary and secondary schools for the opening of classes.
“It is also the policy of the State to establish and maintain a system of free public education in the elementary and high school levels as mandated by the Philippine Constitution,” he added.
Also, Labella said that it is the policy of the City Government to efficiently and effectively implement the constitutional guarantee on free public primary and secondary education as provided for under City Ordinance 1813.
Labella urged DepEd Cebu City Schools Division to ensure that the enrollment phase for the school year 2013-2014 will not be marred by the occurrence of the illegal practice of collecting unreasonable and unauthorized contributions from students or pupils.
The councilor’s onepage resolution was filed and approved by the Council in the last session they held before the conduct of the May 13 midterm elections.
DepEd believes that parents “should not be burdened with financial responsibilities in enrolling their children in public schools.
While the agency encourages parents-teachers association (PTA), they may only collect contributions one month after classes open. These must be voluntary, and PTA must account for all its collections.