Contributions not needed during enrollment - DepEd

With the opening of classes, Cebu City Schools Superintendent Leonilo Oliva has asked all Parents-Teachers Association officials, parents and concerned citizens to report school administrators or teachers who require parents to pay voluntary and unauthorized contributions during enrollment.

Oliva, in an open letter, said voluntary and authorized contributions should not be made a requirement for enrollment nor should these be made a reason for withholding the report cards or other school records of students in the public elementary and secondary schools in the city.

"I would like to ask your assistance by way of reporting to this office the names of administrators or teachers found violating the said guidelines issued by DepEd earlier. Reports of this kind should be made in writing, signed by the complainant describing therein the violations committed to facilitate the conduct of investigation," Oliva said in his letter. Teachers and other school personnel will be suspended if they make the payment of miscellaneous fees and other charges a prerequisite for enrollment, the memorandum of DepEd stated.

The memorandum stated that students should be enrolled before fees may be collected, underscoring that the payment of these charges should be voluntary.

"Students should not be barred from enrolling on the ground that they have no money to pay for these contributions," it stated.

Former Education secretary Florencio Abad issued the said order regulating the voluntary collection of fees in public elementary and secondary schools.

The education department allows the collection of voluntary fees for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Red Cross and anti-tuberculosis fund drive.

Schools are also allowed to collect fees for school papers not exceeding P50 in the elementary grades and P75 in high schools. Accredited student organizations can also collect fees not exceeding P50.

It prohibits schools from requiring parents to sign a promissory notes for contributions they are unable to pay and discriminating between those who contribute and those who do not, and embarrassing those who cannot pay.

Teachers and other school personnel are also barred from directly collecting contributions as only representatives from recognized organizations or the parent-teachers associations are allowed to collect contributions. -Jasmin R. Uy