Friday, October 19, 2007 Roperos: ‘Free’ education By Godofredo M. Roperos Politics Also
THERE'S this story early in the week in this daily about the City Council reminding public school principals and teachers “to strictly observe… guidelines on the collection of fees from students.”
The Council’s move was made after it “received numerous complaints” against school and even Parents-Teacher Community Association (PTCA) officials who violate the rules contained in DepEd Orders 22 and 23. The orders appear not truly known to parents.
In essence, Order 22 decrees that public elementary and secondary school students “have a right to enroll without being compelled to pay any amount as a requirement for enrolment.”
Thus, contributions for such civic organizations as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, national Red Cross, Anti-TB Education and Fund Drive, are voluntary and may be collected anytime during the year. The problem is that some school teachers want to score points with their better collection.
Likewise, payment of contributions “shall not be made a requirement for admission or for release of report cards and tests result, or for clearance purposes in case of transfer of students to other schools.”
The same order also “prohibits teachers and other school personnel from collecting the contribution, as the said organizations should have their own personnel to get the fees at the school level.” But teachers were known to assign class leaders to collect the fees.
What is irritating is the attitude of a good number of teachers who make it appear that paying the fees is an obligation rather than a matter of goodwill. This includes contributions for the school’s light and water, the school fence, fees to cover cost of the printing of test questions, etc.
The problem is not that public elementary school pupils and secondary school students have to pay fees in return for the privilege of studying but rather the fact that, as a matter of national policy, as guaranteed by law, public school education is supposed to be free.
If this be so, why are school authorities tolerating this practice of collecting fees that majority of families can hardly pay?
To what extent of the public primary and secondary schools’ daily maintenance and operations are covered by the DepEd annual budget? Doesn’t it cover everything, including the cost of light and water, repairs of fences, among others?
