Solon appeals to private schools: Don’t impose tuition hike during pandemic

A Philippine private school with a computer for each student in a class during a pre-pandemic setup. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Lawrence Fortun called on government agencies to help private schools across the country not to impose school fee hikes amid the pandemic.

Fortun made the call as he appealed to private schools not to implement school fee hikes until 2022.

“Nakikiusap ako sa lahat ng private schools na huwag magtaas o magdagdag ng school fees ngayong 2021 at sa 2022. Hinihiling ko sa DepEd [Department of Education] at CHED [Commission on Higher Education] na himukin ang mga private schools na huwag mag-increase ng tuition at iba pang bayarin,” Fortun said in a statement.

(I am appealing to all private schools not to increase or add school fees this 2021 and 2022. I am asking DepEd and CHED to encourage private schools not to increase the tuition and other [school] fees.)

In a bid to help private schools, Fortun said financial aid through a “pandemic tax rate” can help small nonprofit proprietary schools while non-cash assistance such as rice subsidies and grocery vouchers can likewise be provided for faculty and non-teaching personnel.

Fortun likewise asked the Department of Labor and Employment to include the small private schools in its Bayanihan cash aid programs.

Further, Fortun said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) should come up with non-tax incentives which can reduce operations costs of small private schools and other small businesses.

“Faster processing and fewer approval or endorsement signatures are examples of non-tax incentives,” Fortun said.

The House committee on basic education earlier approved the bill seeking to further provide government assistance for students, teachers, and schools in the private education sector.

In July 2020, DepEd revealed it has recorded over 250,000 learners transferring from private schools to public schools for the school year 2020-2021.

JPV