(Eagle News) — The Department of Education on Thursday, June 25, appealed to private schools for basic education to defer increases in tuition and other school fees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department made the appeal as it also called for “transparency” in the structure of fees, following what it said were “concerns over certain school charges that are not consistent with distance learning.”
In asking the private schools to make the postponement of the hike for school year 2020 to 2021, the DepEd noted the financial constraints that parents and learners are expected to face.
According to the department, while it recognizes “the need to ensure the sustainability of private educational institutions so that they may continue to be viable partners in the delivery of quality basic education services,” this should be “balanced with the accessibility of these services to learners, particularly those whose families are experiencing financial difficulties brought by the imposition of necessary COVID-19 management measures.”
The DepEd said that although there are new expenses that come with distance learning, there are also “diminished expenses in light of the major change in learning delivery modality.”
In calling for transparency, the department also noted Section 42 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 232 or the Education Act of 1982 that provides that each private school shall determine its own rate of tuition and other charges, but subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, now the Technical Education Skills Development Authority, DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education.
The DepEd said these guidelines may be found in DepEd Order No. 88 s. 2010, known as the 2010 Revised Manual of Regulations for Private Schools in Basic Education.
The department also “noted” the concerns of private schools over Department Order No. 13 s. 2020 on the readiness assessment checklist for learning delivery modalities in the learning continuity plan of private schools.
It said it has set a consultation meeting with major private school associations on this for next week.
The opening of classes is set for Aug. 24.
President Rodrigo Duterte has said there would be no face-to-face classes absent a COVID-19 vaccine.
The DepEd has said the country would resort to “blended learning,” or a combination of offline and online learning, depending on the preference of the parents and the learner.
