PALO, Leyte, June 3 (PNA) — The Department of Education (DepEd) has stepped up its monitoring scheme to ensure the compliance of “no collection policy” during the opening of 2014-2015 academic year.
The DepEd order issued in 2012 is still in effect and should be monitored from the regional to the campus level, said regional director Luisa Bautista-Yu.
“We have the regional task force that monitors the compliance of public schools. Schools division superintendents are also tasked to check if schools are collecting fees. It’s not a requirement for a learner to get enrolled,” Yu said.
Based on DepEd Order 41 issued in 2012, Education Secretary Armin Luistro disallowed collection of fees from school children in kindergarten up to Grade 4 anytime during school year. For Grade 5 pupils up to fourth year high school students, there should be no collection from June to July.
However, starting August this year, the following fees may be collected on a voluntary basis: P50 per enrollee for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts membership fees, P35 per learner for Philippine National Red Cross, P5 anti-tuberculosis fund drive, P60 school publication fee for every elementary pupils and P90 for every high school student.
The Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) fee is also authorized starting August, but it should be determined during the PTA general assembly.
The meeting requires PTA members and school heads to report on the utilization of previous school year’s collections and the school year proposed budget with program of activities.
“These fees are authorized, but not compulsory. Non-payment should not be the basis for non-admission, non-promotion or non-issuance of clearance to a student,” Yu said.
The Protection Cluster responding to post-Yolanda emergency needs reported that seven percent of children in disaster-stricken communities were not able to go back to school because of financial constraints, based on a study released last month. (PNA)