Parents rage over Ecija school graduation fee

GAPAN CITY, Philippines—Exorbitant graduation fees allegedly being imposed by public elementary schools here have enraged parents, putting the city’s schools division office in hot water.

Many of the schools have charged parents P800 for each of their graduating students. Some parents claimed that the fees amount to P1,000. But school officials said the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) of these schools had approved the fees.

Estelita Pineda, city schools division superintendent, said controversies over the graduation fees arose in the Sto. Cristo Norte Elementary School and the Sto. Cristo Sur Elementary School, both in this city.

The schools division has jurisdiction over 33 elementary schools and eight high schools.

“Officials in these schools have explained [to us] that the PTA members agreed to collect an amount for the graduation of their children,” Pineda said in a telephone interview.

She was on sick leave when the Inquirer visited her office for comment.

Remigio Lagmay, principal of Sto. Cristo Sur Elementary School, said, “We are collecting P800 only, [which was] approved by the graduating class officer(s).”

According to the minutes of the Feb. 11 PTA meeting of the school, the P800 would be used for rentals for chairs and togas, production of the graduation program and invitations, food and reproduction of certificates and report cards.

Pineda said her office had also been informed about a plan of the graduating class of a high school here to raise funds by selling tickets for a cultural presentation. But the fund raising project has not materialized, she said.

The Department of Education has banned the collection of graduation and other fees from students of public schools. Sources, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution, said Pineda has been accused of arbitrariness in the reshuffle of principals under her division and of abuse of authority. Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon