Caloocan public schools warned vs fees

MANILA, Philippines - The Caloocan City government warned yesterday public elementary schools in the city against compulsory collection of miscellaneous fees from pupils.

Mayor Enrico Echiverri directed the local Department of Education’s Division Office to strictly implement the “no collection fee” policy on all local public schools in the city.

Echiverri reminded teachers and principals not to disregard the DepEd’s directive “so they may not be charged” for obligating parents to pay the supposed voluntary fees.

According to Echiverri, parents of school-aged children enrolled at any public school in Caloocan City should have nothing to pay once classes re-open this month. The mayor said payment of so-called miscellaneous fees such as Parents-Teachers Association fee, Girl and Boy Scouts fee and the like should only be voluntary, and parents should not be obligated to do so.

Echiverri also directed district superintendent Corazon Gonzales to monitor schools under her jurisdiction to find out whether some of them are violating the directive.

 “Violators could face sanctions because DepEd prohibits collection of miscellaneous fees in all public schools,” Echiverri said. He said that if ever some public schools in the city still enforce payment of miscellaneous fees, these can be reported in the Division Office which is located near the Caloocan High School on 10th Avenue.