DepEd warns public schools: Do not collect fees at start of SY 2014

The Department of Education on Wednesday warned public schools of possible sanctions if they insist on collecting fees from parents and students during enrolment and at the start of the school year on June 2.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Jesus Mateo issued the reminder after some of the "queries" its public assistance station received since Monday involved "compulsory contributions."

“Our public assistance station has received as total of 63 queries since Monday, some of them regarding compulsory contributions. In these cases, our team calls the schools and finds out the details. If the schools violate our strict prohibition on collection of fees, our legal department will send them a warning,” Mateo said in a DepEd news release.

No withholding of cards

While Mateo did not give further details on the warning from the legal department, DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro hinted at "administrative sanctions."

“Let me be clear on this: in no case shall non-payment of voluntary school contributions or membership fees be made a basis for non-admission, non-promotion or non-issuance of clearance to a student. And that includes withholding of school cards,“ he said.

“School fees should not intimidate parents into bringing their children to school; that is why I urge all school officials to strictly observe these guidelines or face administrative sanctions,” Luistro added.

Even if Parent-Teacher Association fees are approved by a majority of PTA members, they are still voluntary, he added.

The DepEd said parents who have complaints or questions may contact the DepEd public assistance station at 636-1669, 633-1942, 0919-456-0027, and through email at action@deped.gov.ph.

Authorized but not compulsory

Citing DepEd Order 41 series of 2012, Luistro reminded school officals that no fees shall be collected from school children in kindergarten up to Grade 4 at any time during the school year.

For Grade 5 pupils to fourth year high school students, no fees will be collected from them from June to July.

From August 2014 until the end of the school year, the following fees may be collected, but only on a voluntary basis:

- Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts membership fees of P50 per learner
- Philippine National Red Cross, P35 per learner
- Anti-TB fund drive of P5 per learner
- school publication fee of P60 for elementary pupils and P90 for high school students.

The DepEd said the Parents-Teachers Association fee must be "reasonable," to be set during the PTA general assembly.

It added that the PTA can collect contributions starting August and "only after presenting to the PTA members and to the school head/principal report on the utilization of previous school year’s collections and the school year proposed budget with program of activities." — Joel Locsin/BM, GMA News