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Since this month is graduation season, it is perhaps a bit jarring to learn of reports that some high schools in Central Visayas are still collecting so-called ?graduation fees? from its students to help pay for commencement exercises.
In a report submitted by the Kabataan partylist group, at least six schools were identified as charing graduation fees. These are Cebu?s Abellana National School, which charges graduating students with P200; Placedo Senor High School, P450; Zaragoza Badian Elementary School, P260; Toledo City Vocational and High School, P500; Florencio Urot Night High School, P150; and Hinlayagan Trinidad National High School in Bohol, P600.
The Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) said it had yet to receive such reports but said this wasn?t unusual. They said schools often announced that they need contributions or solicitations from students to help pay the costs of graduation rites and after-graduation parties.
But the DepEd-7 stressed that such fees were not mandatory.
Of course it would be difficult for the students to report this to the DepEd on pain of threats from the school management itself. Unless that school has an active student council which would forward these complaints to the DepEd, it would be unlikely the agency would receive any such complaints anytime soon.
These ?voluntary contributions? may not mean much for the average Filipino home, who can easily pay P200 for cell phone load. But it certainly puts a dent on the budget of low income families whose parents either work below minimum wage or worse, get by on whatever work comes their way.
Since these are public schools, it would be easy for DepEd to monitor and determine whether they are charging graduation fees or not. Again, these are poor families who are either too scared or not organized enough to speak out against whatever fees may be charged against them by these schools.
Then again, why would these schools charge money for graduation rites which need not be that elaborate? They can even ask the barangay councils to sponsor the graduation ceremonies and even the parties, but no candidates please.
The families can always celebrate with their children at home. If needed, they can always go for potluck in a graduation party i.e, each family bringing their own food to the table.
There are other ways to cut graduation costs for these schools who need not resort to ?solicitations? to the families just to hold these once-in-a-lifetime special events. Parents are already burdened enough with sending their kids to school without having to pay for last minute charges.
