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Monday, May 15, 2006
Parents gripe on school fees
By Richard E. Bitancor
Intern, Liceo de Cagayan University
A SECONDARY public school debunked reports that they have been asking for additional enrollment fees from their students and said these are only "voluntary contributions."
The educational institution also cleared their teachers from allegations that some projects donated by the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) are being brought to their own homes.
Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS) Filipino Department head Rhodora Gallares said they are collecting only P315 per student enrollee.
She presented a list entitled "Voluntary Contributions for Students' Development Project."
"This is attached to the enrollment forms," she said.
Several parents who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal against their children complained that they are made to pay hundreds of pesos before their sons and daughters are allowed to enroll in public schools like MOGCHS.
"Bisan ingnon nga voluntary kini nga bayranan sa skwelahan pero mahulog man gihapon nga obligado ka gyud mobayad kay dili man maka-enroll ang bata kung dili bayaran (Even if they say this is a voluntary school fee, it still becomes obligatory as your child cannot enroll without paying these fees)," one parent said.
Another parent pointed out that there is a law disallowing mandatory enrollment fees for public schools.
She also asked if the P315 per student enrollee that is being asked by MOGCHS and other public schools as "voluntary contributions" are part of the funds that are being audited by the Commission on Audit (COA).
"Kay gamay raman kanang P300 pero pila gud kabook istudyante ilang colektahan so dako na gyud kaayo kana (That P300 is only a small amount but there are a lot of students that they are collecting this money from, hence, the amount would really be huge)," she said.
Another parent also questioned some of the fees being listed as being "too huge" for a struggling family to pay just to send their children to a public school that should at least be free.
"Luoy kayo kami mga kabus labi na kadtong daghan ug anak (We who are poor and have a lot of children will really suffer)," he said. "Di ba education is a right not a privilege labi na sa elementary ug high school?"
He added that parents also have to cope with the rising prices of fare, school supplies, and even uniform, to mention a few.
But Gallares said they are following this list of "voluntary contributions" that amounts to a total of P315 per student.
These include: P75 for school paper; Students' Technology Entrepreneur Philippines for P30; Student Clubs for P30; Athletics for P30; Identification Card for P30; and General Parents and Teachers' Association (GPTA) projects for P90.
Meanwhile, Gallares dismissed reports that some of their teachers are "bringing home" the projects supposedly donated by their PTA.
"That has never happened to us here so far because we have a very strict policy regarding this matter," she said in the dialect.
Gallares said they always check that there is a deed of donation from the GPTA for every project.
She said they also have a system of checking whether the donated projects are still inside their respective classrooms.
"We have an inventory and each class advisor submits a report on these projects at the end of the school year," she said.
Gallares also clarified they are not the one receiving money donated by the parents.
She said this is the task of the PTA officers and that teachers are prohibited from collecting any amount.
However, there were parents who are said to be amenable to paying the P315 per student as part of the enrollment fees.
"Mo agree mi sa mga bayronon depende kung kini importante ug kon dili,lahi nana siya na storya (We will agree to whatever fees we would be paying depending on its importance, but if it is not, that's another story)," said Loreana Caylo, a parent of a MOGCHS student who was going through the enrollment process.
(May 15, 2006 issue)
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