Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Public schools’ needs covered by gov’t budget
WITH government allocating P207 for each public elementary school pupil and P509 for each high school student, the collection of fees in schools is not required, an education official said.
Mandaue City Schools Division Superintendent Arden Monisit said the funds are distributed to each school division as maintenance and other operating expenses (Mooe) funds.
Because of the funds, Department of Education Order 19 states that collection of fees for admission to public schools is not allowed.
“Kung di paigo and Mooe mo-submit sila ug request and I will act on it,” Monisit said.
With the Mooe funds, schools will pay for electricity, water and phone bills and other expenses, like travel and press conferences.
This is contrary to the practice of schools, which collect Parents Teachers Community Association fees to pay for electricity, water and other expenses.
As of yesterday, Man-daue City Schools Division registered a 1,491 increase in its 27 elementary schools and an 890 decrease in enrollees in its 14 high schools.
From the 34,260 who enrolled in grade school last year, the figure rose to 35,751 pupils this year and it is still growing as of yesterday, said Division Supervisor Lucelin Suan.
In high school, last year’s 15,577 enrollees decreased to 14,687.
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Monisit said the list of enrollees is still coming in especially for pre-school learners and Special Education pupils of around 300.
Monisit said the Department of Budget Management (DBM) will release funds to DepEd based on the number of students enrolled in the division at a fixed rate per-pupil-rate.
He said the amount released by DBM to various schools divisions is then distributed to the different schools in the form of cash advances. The school heads will liquidate the amount received 15 days later.
Schools will be getting their June Mooe so school heads need not collect school fees from pupils.
Monisit again met with school principals last week and warned them as complaints of collection of school fees still persisted.
“We will pay all mandatory expenses,” said Monisit referring to electricity, water and phone bills in addition to the transportation allowances of teachers and students attending school trainings and conferences.
Monisit did not give specific amount but for a P50-worth identification card, which DepEd is planning to distribute to students for free, will cost the schools divisions P2.5 million for its 50,000 pupils.
On top of the Mooe, school heads may submit additional requests for IDs to avail themselves of additional funds.
When asked if this is also being practiced in other divisions, Monisit did not comment. (OCP)
