DECS warned vs ‘spoiling’ public teachers

Private school operators warned Education Secretary Raul Roco yesterday that he was already spoiling public school teachers to the detriment of private education.

Eleazar Kasilag, president of Federation of Associations of Private School Administration (FAPSA), said that Roco might cause the death of private schools if he continues to give special treatment to government teachers.

"There has been an exodus of private school teachers to the public schools because the salary and perks there are much better. And now, Secretary Roco is giving them so much more," he noted.

Kasilag has estimated that five percent of teachers in private schools have transferred to government schools this school year.

He warned that if this trend continues, many private schools would close down.

"What is happening now is that we are losing not only our teachers to public schools but also our students. With the ‘no fee’ policy of Secretary Roco last enrolment, many of our students have moved out," he added.

He asked Roco not to pamper teachers in public schools as it would likely hasten the death of private educational institutions.

Roco had prohibited the collectioin of any fee and contribution during the enrolment to reach out to more poor students.

The education chief was also able to secure tax exemptions for public school teachers during the months of May and June, and a P5-billion fund from the Government Service Insurance System to buy-out their loans from private lending firms.

Kasilag said that private schools rely only on tuition fees so they cannot compete with public schools which are subsidized by the government.

"We cannot easily increase our tuition fee because we might lose our students. We just hope that he (Roco) will also look after us and not only those in public school," he added. — Sheila Crisostomo